Three Princesses, Two Swordsmen, and One Bounty Hunter
by Herodadotus
Summary: Under the new management of the "Board of Directors", several respected smashers attempt to retrieve new members. Meanwhile, Lucina and Robin must learn how to deal with new technology, villains, and the strange characters that they are meeting. Can the two thrive in a new environment? Or will the constant pressures from the Board, Press, and Ganondorf unleash something horrible?
1. What an Annoying Group

_First attempt at a fanfic, I want to thank any potential readers in advance! Any comments and critiques are greatly appreciated!_

Note: Nintendo, Capcom, Square-Enix, Sega, and Namco-Bandai own all the respective characters that are in this story. I do not and don't plan on owning any of them in the future. This is just for entertainment purposes.

 **Chapter 1: What an Annoying Group**

Footsteps echoed throughout the hallway. The harsh florescent light glared off the metal walls. Two women walked quickly, discussing amongst themselves.

"It's been three years, you would think it would get easier to find the board room." One whined.

"Patience, your Majesty." The other spoke soothingly, "The Hand does enjoy moving his rooms around."

The women looked at each other. Both wore slightly different shades of pink, and the hair was worn differently, but it was not surprising why they were sometimes called "The Royal Twins". Princess Zelda smiled to her counterpart. Princess Peach frowned and huffed in frustration.

"Master Hand has always been a pain in the butt!" Peach growled. Zelda giggled, further exasperating the fellow royal. "And what, may I ask, is so funny?"

"Maybe it's the fact that royalty shouldn't use foul language like 'butt' in public." came a voice from behind. Peach and Zelda turned around. Behind them stood a mountain of a man, he ragged blue hair unkempt and held by a red scarf. Both the princesses knew that behind the exterior, that the mercenary Ike had a heart of gold. And a mouth of coal.

"Ike, as the queen of the Mushroom Kingdom, may I remind you that 'butt' is not an improper word in my country? I believe that royalty such as myself would know what's appropriate or not." Peach curtsied, sarcasm dripping from every word. Ike smiled, and began to laugh.

"That's very inappropriate for a princess, right?" Ike flashed a grin, "Being late and using such sarcasm?" Ike passed by the two princesses, motioning to his right. "Door's right here, by the way." Ike entered through the door. Zelda looked at Peach, and smiled reassuringly. As she walked away, Peach signed with resignation. "Why do we even have these meetings?"

The board room was focused around a large mahogany table that took up much of the room. The table fit 14 chairs around it, made of dark leather. Twelve of the fourteen seats were occupied by the time Peach and Zelda entered the room. And even though the room was dimly lit, the confused and annoyed expressions of each member in the room.

"It's not like you two to be late, what kept ya?" What looked to be a fox with futuristic headgear and a flight jacket questioned. Next to him, a bird with a similar fashion sense looked up from his communicator. He looked the most casual, his feet laid on top of the table. Zelda and Peach knew these two as Fox and Falco, two members of the mercenaries Starfox. Zelda nodded graciously, taking her seat.

"How am I supposed to know that Master Hand has a creepy obsession with security?" Peach scolded Fox, "I'm just glad we made it." Peach huffed and took her seat next to Zelda. She looked down the table. On Zelda's left sat Ike, followed by another blue haired swordsman, by the name of Marth. Marth, the former king of Altea, was one of the few chosen by the blood of Naga, or whatever that was. Peach knew that even though he maintained a shell of regality and aloofness, he was actually a very friendly king. Next to Marth came a bright light. A young boy with glowing wings, reddish-brown hair, and a long white robe. He was known by the name of Pit. Pit looked over at Peach and gave her a bright smile. Peach liked Pit, his light was contagious, and unaffected by the two next to him.

Those two always made Peach shiver a little internally. To Pit's left was a large man, even larger than Ike. His crimson hair was brought out by his dark skin and permanent scowl. His aura reeked of the darkness. He was Ganondorf, king of evil, enemy of Zelda and her comrade Link. Peach feared him, unlike the man to his left. The koopa king deserved no respect from Peach, the koopa king deserved no fear from Peach. The princess had become less afraid and more apprehensive towards Bowser's attempts as of late. Still, Peach was wary of the lizard king.

Across from the two villains sat Fox and Falco, to Fox's left sat a strange blue hedgehog. Peach knew him from their times competing against each other in various games. Everyone else knew him for his late heroics in Subspace. His name was Sonic, and he was the newest member of the board.

To Sonic's left sat a beautiful woman, covered from the neck down in orange battle armor. Samus Aran was an enigma, even after three years of dealing with her. Still, Peach liked to think that Samus, Zelda, and herself were good friends. Samus was next to a small masked individual. Metaknight had taken Kirby's place at Kirby's suggestion. Anyone that knew Metaknight knew that his decision making was much better than Kirby's, so the idea was accepted by the group. The small yellow pokemon by the name of Pikachu sat to Metaknight's left, and Captain Falcon, the F-Zero driver and bounty hunter, sat across from Peach. The princess heard a mechanical whirring sound, and noticed several wire frames handing out small tablets to the seated smashers.

"Yes, yes, it is very good of all of you to come today." A voice came from the end of the table. A wire frame wheeled in another chair, and Peach could make out a distant 'thanks much' from the end of the table. Bowser and Fox seemed surprised, Ganondorf amused. Falco was once again focused on his communicator. Peach guessed that the others could not see their guest, nobody else seemed to be reacting. The chair was turned around to reveal a small raccoon wearing a blue sweatervest and white button up shirt. The raccoon hopped onto the table, as to get a good look at all the smashers at the table. Peach heard Zelda sigh out, "so cute". If she was not mistaken, both Samus and Ike were also overcome by his cuteness.

"Yes, yes," the raccoon continued, "I'm Tom Nook, proprietor of Smash Industries and Nook's Homes, major sponsor of the next smash events." He gestured to the middle of the table. Some of the table had retracted, and a hologram machine rose from the open space.

"We were expecting Master Hand, Mr. Nook." Marth spoke cautiously, "And we've never heard of you before. Has something happened?"

Tom Nook shook his head. "No emergencies, but Handy Man told me to notify you of new members. I am a recent . . . part-owner, so I decided that, both introductions to me and your new friends, this could be!" Nook nodded his head in his own internal rhythm. Peach frowned. Before she could speak, Samus raised her hand.

"Mr. Nook, we expected to have some say in the vetting system for new candidates. You're telling us that the new smashers have already been picked?" Samus stared down the small businessman. "What's this board's purpose if the owners have already decided?"

Nook raised his paws in mock surrender. "Ah, Mizz Aran! You mustn't be so upset, no? You all are qualified fighters, but once you see our candidates, you surely will agree with our choices." Nook motioned to the tablets each member had in front of them. "We will go over a list of the candidates. Additional information can be found on your tablet, yes, yes!" Peach looked down at her tablet. 18 faces were on the screen.

"18 new smashers?" Peach looked up. Falco had spoken up. "You serious? I know that there's some crazy demand for an expanded group, but this is ridiculous!" Falco waved his wing at the tablet for emphasis.

"You understand that your role is just to be notified of these changes, yes? You may not like it, but you do not have much of a say." Nook scolded the mercenary. "This meeting is not for you to tell Mr. Hand what his job is, but how to notify each of these new members, hm?" He pulled out a small controller, and pressed a button. The first face appeared onto the screen. Peach recognized the blonde hair covering one eye, the deep blue eyes that seemed to reflect the whole of the cosmos back to you. Her small star companion looked adorable, but Peach had seen firsthand the power that this woman carried.

"Rosalina and her companion Lumas." Nook pointed out to the rest of the group. Bowser visibly cringed, the rest seemed interested. "Her place of residence is difficult to reach by both person and drone." He looked at Peach. "Princess Toadstool, do you have an easier way to reach her?"

Peach nodded. "I'll meet her myself, I could use a good tea date." Peach knew Rosalina would appreciate the privacy that a drone or an official would not bring.

Tom Nook's face brightened. "Excellent! That is a pleasant surprise! I'll leave it to you!" Nook pressed another button on his remote. Another familiar face appeared on the tablets. Peach looked over to Bowser, who was almost bursting with pride.

"I assume the Koopa King will handle his sons and daughter?" Nook looked over to Bowser. Bowser grinned and nodded in affirmation. Peach was looking through the other new members, before it slowly dawned on her. Before she could protest, Captain Falcon spoke up.

"Sons and daughter? How many children are we talkin' about here?" Falcon asked, obviously annoyed. Bowser glared at the race car driver. "We don't need more of these jokesters runnin around."

"You have a problem with my kids, Doug?" Bowser sneered. "You don't think you can handle 8 sweet koops?" Bowser stood up. "Or are you jealous that I'm a better parent than you could ever be?" The comment connected to Falcon, though Peach couldn't tell if it was the insult, or the fact that Bowser called Falcon "Doug".

"You wanna run that by me again, smartass?" Falcon's voice had grown quieter. Both the Koopa King and Captain Falcon jumped onto the table, all while Tom Nook tried, in vain, to keep both parties calm. Peach heard a rush of wind, and suddenly, everything was quiet and tense.

"Interrupting a meeting with this pettiness is certainly not befitting men of your stature." Marth held his sword close to Bowser's neck. Metaknight had his sword focused on the back of Falcon. "You can take your childish squabbles to the battlefield later." Marth's eyes flashed a deep sapphire. Bowser's breathing became shallower, and both he and Falcon slowly sat back in their seats. Peach frowned. _It's been three years, and I still can't read all of Marth's movements. And Metaknight's speed only compounds the problem. It's a wonder I can compete with these monsters._ Peach was brought back to earth as Nook cleared his throat.

"Let's expedite the rest of this meeting, yes, yes?" He pressed several more buttons. "Palutena and this 'Dark Pit' can be trusted with Pit. Pikachu can handle Greninja. Mega Man, Pac Man, Shulk, Bayonetta, Cloud, Little Mac, Wii Fit Trainer, Duck Hunt and Ryu can all be handled by our messenger drones. That leaves 'Villager', Robin, Corrin, and Lucina." Tom Nook looked at Marth and Ike. "Could you two possibly assist in this?"

Ike shook his head. "According to this information, Robin and Lucina are from a distant future. Our presence could be a major problem, if Fox's 10 minute lessons on science are to be believed." Ike paused to gauge Nook's reaction. "We can grab Corrin, but that could still raise potential problems."

Tom closed his eyes in deep thought. "Very well, you two shall go get Corrin, and I'll take care of the Villager, he owes me a favor or two." He opened his eyes and looked at each individual. "We still need someone to grab our last two members." Samus shrugged and raised her hand. Nook shook his head. "No, no, not unless you have someone accompanying you. Master Hand has not forgotten the Dream Land debacle."

"Neither have I." Metaknight chuckled to himself. "Grand old memories..."

"If Lady Aran joins me, will that suffice?" The room looked at the speaker. The quiet Princess Zelda had spoken, determination echoed through her words. Tom Nook smiled and nodded.

"Yes, yes! That would be a wonderful solution!" Nook shut off the hologram. "The meeting today is now adjourned. Master Hand wanted me to remind you that fighting is prohibited amongst members until the Smash season begins, yes?", he eyed Bowser and Captain Falcon. "No. Fighting." He turned up the lights in the room, and the members slowly filed out through the door.

"Hey Peach, I'm going to talk to Samus, ok?" Peach smiled at Zelda, who had a slightly nervous look in her eyes. Zelda and Samus had always had a weird, tenuous relationship. Samus had tried to be friends multiple times, Peach knew, but Zelda was always too shy. Plus, if Peach recalled right, there was always some bad luck. How was Samus supposed to know that triangles made Zelda anxious, or that she was allergic to cashews? Only cashews? It was surprising that Zelda had volunteered to join Samus, especially on a job to meet new people. Peach nodded and gave her friend a hug. "Good luck, have fun." she whispered. Zelda gave an awkward smile, and went back into the room. Peach had her own job to take care of, and honestly, she was lying when she said she wanted a tea date with Rosalina.

"Rosalina..." Peach muttered to herself. "What a weirdo."


	2. Ylisse

**Chapter 2: Ylisse**

"The plan is simple, Princess. We go in, no modern touches, we deliver the message, and hopefully we bring them back with us." Samus was looking through her closet for something appropriate for a medieval castle. "No violence, as little interaction as possible, which suits you." Samus grunted in frustration, closing her closet door. Zelda shifted uncomfortably on Samus's couch.

"I don't mind interaction, it's just … some cases are more difficult than others." Zelda started to stammer. "A-a-and you know I can handle myself. If you need a dress, I have plenty." She stood up to move to her room. Samus held out her hand.

"No dresses for me." Her voice shook slightly, but was forceful. "Absolutely not. Find me some armor or something, but no dresses." Zelda nodded, and silently backed out of the room, curtsying as she left. Samus sighed. It became more and more difficult to talk to her recently. Not like it was already hard to talk to people already. She sat down on her couch and looked in the mirror. Even with all the awkwardness, she still felt very lucky. She volunteered with the hopes that Zelda would suggest them working together. She was envious of the princess. Beautiful, powerful, and well-liked; Samus knew she was strong, and even though people had called her beautiful, she didn't really care about that. But to be well-liked? That was a good dream.

"Samus?" Zelda's meek voice was filtered by the thick wood door. "Ike found something that you might like, if you wanted to try it.", her voice got quieter with each word. Samus grinned a little. At least Zelda was adorable, in her weird way.

"So, this paladin armor is light, so you can move around the way you're used to." Ike explained through the curtain. Samus and Zelda were attempting to put on the armor. "Marth actually found it in his storage, so it might have a . . . royal flair." Samus grunted and struggled.

"Who the hell," another grunt, "was this armor", angry growl, "ZELDA! THE BREASTPLATE IS NOT GONNA FIT THE MORE YOU SQUEEZE!" Ike could hear Zelda grunting from her attempts.

"It's not my fault! I thought you future people had ways to . . . you know, support them and make them smaller!" Zelda pulled again, earning a sharp cry from Samus. "I mean, look at them! How is it supposed to fit?" Ike closed his eyes, trying not to let his imagination get away from him.

"That's not how it works! Ugh, Ike, who was this made for?" Samus tried her best to keep her voice calm. "Everything fits great except the really flat -"

"That would be my wife, Ms. Aran." Samus couldn't see the new voice, but it was clearly Marth, and he was annoyed. "And I'm sorry you do not approve of her. I can try to find something that will fit your stature." God, when he threw shade, he threw it relentlessly.

"Nothing against your wife, I'm just not her size is all." Samus hid her discomfort. "If you can find something else, it would be appreciated." Marth huffed, but managed a 'I'll see what I can find' before he stormed off. Ike also bowed to the curtain, and took his leave.

"Get me out of this thing." Samus pleaded to Zelda. Zelda silently nodded and started helping her remove her armor. "What an idiotic thing. How do you people live?!" Zelda smiled to herself.

"This is why I wear a dress."

* * *

"I found some chainmail, Samus. Hopefully that will suffice." Marth handed the folded metal garmet to Samus. "Put a robe over it, and you might pass as a normal citizen. Might." he smirked at the thought of Samus trying to blend in. Samus glared at the prince.

"It's heavy, but if it's what I need to do, fine." She made her exit silently. Zelda glanced at Marth, who was still amused at his own thoughts.

"Your lordship, if I may," Zelda began, "How do you plan to convince this 'Corrin' if you were worried about changing things in other timelines? Surely you're still a legend in other times." Marth looked over at the princess, bemused by her timidness.

"Your Majesty, I may seem serious, but you realize that you call all of us by our names, right?" Marth walked down the hallway, headed for the lounge. He beckoned Zelda to follow. "It's just Marth when we're all here, all equal in the Smash Mansion." He slid down the banister leading to the large central room. Zelda desperately tried to keep pace. Marth took a seat on one of the large couches, Zelda daintily sat down on a small armchair. "But to answer your question, apparently they are quite familiar with 'Outrealm Gates', which is similar to our 'Dimensional Gates'. Master Hand didn't think it was -" Marth waved his hand dismissively for emphasis, "- a clear threat if Ike and I met this 'Corrin'." He closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Besides, that area is apparently a level 6 danger zone right now, so both of us would probably have to go anyways." Zelda raised an eyebrow.

"A level 6? We've never grabbed someone from a danger zone greater than 3! Is he that important?" Zelda put out her hand. "Don't answer that. Nobody's that important."

"It's a civil war. That little tanooki explained that _her_ lack of presence may actually be beneficial to the whole situation." Marth had put a lot of weight on her, and Zelda blushed. _But Corrin sounds so . . . masculine._ She thought. Marth continued. "But it's still dangerous."

"Hell, it's always dangerous, but that's why we're all smashers." Samus had finally rejoined the two. Ike was close behind, fully geared up. Samus looked almost unrecognizable, if it were not for her bright blonde hair, still in a perfect ponytail. She had armor covering her legs and arms, and chainmail over a dark blue tunic. She had a halberd in her hand, but Zelda could still see her Plasma weapon on her belt. "Zelda, are you prepared to head out?" The princess nodded sheepishly. She materialized a bow and quiver of arrows. Marth gracefully lifted himself from his seated position.

"Ike, shall we depart as well?" Marth's royal mask was once again placed upon his face. Ike nodded.

"Yeah, dimensional gate A-3 is set for us." He handed a small golden card to Marth. "Zelda, Samus, I got you two your passes for gate A-5." He handed the two their own cards. These two were blue in color. "We have 15 minutes, so we should make our way over."

* * *

The dimensional portal zone looked empty at first glance. However, every 30 feet or so sat large black structures. Two of them glowed an unnatural silver. Samus handed Zelda a brown cloak, putting a similar cloak on her own person. Zelda wrapped herself in the cloak. The gates always gave her chills, as if all the warmth had been stolen from the world. She cast a glance at Samus. Even she looked a little paler. Marth and Ike headed over to the active portal closer to the door. Zelda and Samus passed the two, placing themselves in front of the churning ether. Zelda looked once more to the prince of Altea. Marth smiled at her and gave her a thumbs up.

"You ready, Zelda?" Zelda snapped her focus back to Samus and the portal. From the corner of her eye, she saw the two swordsman disappear into the silver light. Zelda nodded and looked her companion in the eyes. Samus smiled at her. "Alright, let's go get us two smashers." Samus and Zelda began their walk into the portal.

The portal felt sluggish to walk through. Peach had compared it to moving through honey or a pool of jello. Zelda had no idea what the second one meant, but thought honey was a good comparison.

Trips through the portal were always short, but they could be exhausting. Zelda could hear Samus laboring through next to her. "Damn garbage portal crap bull-" Zelda giggled. Samus was always so funny when she was grumpy. "Glad you're having fun, _Princess_." Samus placed just enough venom in her words to make it clear she was annoyed, but still having a decent time. Zelda smiled, even though she knew Samus couldn't see her. As she reached out her hand for what felt like the thousandth time, she grasped air. As she dragged herself through the portal, she saw Samus power through the ether. Samus took in the bright summer sun and sighed, relieved.

"I always hate these things." She stated, "But they always go faster when you're around." Zelda snorted involuntarily. What did Samus mean by that? Samus blushed, _of course that would be taken out of context_. "I meant literally!" She blurted out. Samus winced, that probably made it worse! _Idiot idiot idio-_

"Well, I assume my affinity with magic is probably very helpful for that sort of thing." Zelda sounded almost . . . proud? "I can always visualize the goal, so it must make it easier." Samus nodded dumbly, amazed at Zelda's amazing obliviousness. She shook herself from her own thoughts, and casually pulled out her navigator. Zelda almost slapped it out of her hand. "Samus, you can't! We have to avoid using technology while we're here!" She scolded. Samus put back the navigator, visibly pouting.

"Well, what do we do now, Zelda?" Samus could not hide her annoyance. However, she was surprised by Zelda's newfound confidence. Zelda pulled out a map, it looked beaten up and well used.

"According to this _map_ ," Zelda couldn't help herself, "the capital is a place called Ylisse. We should be able to find at least one of them this way." She looked around. "This gate is marked around 5 miles south of Ylisse, so we should be able to reach it before twilight." Samus looked over Zelda's shoulder. "Futuretech doesn't always beat good old preparation!" Zelda puffed with pride. She pointed a direction and started heading off.

"What Zelda is this, and why do I like her so much?" Samus whispered, just loud enough for herself to hear.

* * *

Ylisse sparkled under the late afternoon sun. Samus and Zelda had to shield their eyes from the splendor. As the two neared the gates, however, it was clear that not all was what met the eyes. Ylisse had clearly been the field for a great battle. Much of the walls suffered some sort of damage, and many of the interior walls still had rocks embedded from siege weapons. As the two entered the gate, they were caught up in the bustle of a city eager to rebuild and grow.

"Amazing." Samus breathed, "These people are so pumped to keep going, I wonder what could have happened." Zelda looked around and couldn't help but smile. As the two walked through the city, they eventually reached a courtyard. In the middle of the courtyard sat a large statue of two men. One man had a large sword in his hand, pointed towards the south. The other man seemed to wear a large robe, and held a book in his hand. He faced the north. Zelda looked for an inscription, but could not find one.

"It's a recent build," Samus observed, "Maybe they were heroes from whatever war was fought?" Zelda squinted at the hooded stature.

"The swordsman looks so noble, and this man looks so . . . unrefined and unheroic." Zelda found herself saying, a little louder than she intended.

"Watch your words," Zelda heard a feminine voice from behind her. She and Samus looked at the origin of the reprimand. Two women, arms filled with bags containing goods, were glaring daggers at the princess. "That man saved this kingdom several times, he is the definition of a hero!" The girl who had spoken was well built, her short cropped grayish hair fitting her face perfectly. The other girl had snow white hair in pigtails, and seemed to look at Zelda with much more disdain than the girl who had spoken. Samus knew that Zelda could probably talk herself out of it, but knew intervention may be a better choice.

"Forgive my companion, she did not know. . ." Samus began, but she was interrupted by a 'hmph!' by the white haired girl. She took a deep breath, and continued, "Judging by your reactions, you knew this man." The white haired girl turned, hiding her face from the two. Samus could hear her shaky breaths. Samus knew what that meant. After all, she had lost parents too.

The white haired girl 'hmph'ed again, and started down the road towards the castle. The other girl hurried to keep up, calling out "Severa, Severa! Wait up!". Now Samus knew her name. She reached out her hand to Zelda's shoulder, who looked at Samus. Tears were in her eyes.

"S-S-Samus, I looked into her emotions." Zelda had difficulty finishing her sentence. "What could she have seen? How can someone feel so sad and still have strength? I couldn't be as strong as any of these people . . ." She took a shaky breath, collecting herself. "We must go to the castle, I know the people we're looking for are there. And I must meet the heroes that can give these people this hope..." She began to make her way to the castle, almost breaking into a jog. Samus kept up easily, and as they walked, she noticed that the castle gates were open, and that people seemed to enter the gardens in front with no security at all.

"What kind of place is this?" Samus and Zelda entered the castle gardens, and in front of them were a long flight of stairs leading to the main doors of the castle. Unlike the gardens, it was clear that people knew better than to disturb the castle itself. The stairs were left alone, with only two guards stationed at the top.

"What business do you two have with the Exalt?" The guards were young, but certainly not green. Even Zelda could tell that these men had fought their fair share of wars.

"We have a message for Princess Lucina and Robin of Ylisse." Zelda was commanding and clear. "I am Princess Zelda of Hyrule and this is my bodyguard Samus Aran!" Samus had to put all her effort to not shoot Zelda a look. The guards looked at each other, equal parts concerned and confused.

"We will speak with the captain of the guard, please wait." One man entered through the large oak doors. An awkward silence seemed to fester and grow. After what felt like forever, the man came back, and nodded his head in affirmation. "You may enter, leave your weapons with us, though. It's just a precaution." Samus handed over her halberd and a knife. Zelda handed over a ceremonial sword she carried with her just in case. This seemed to satisfy the guards. They opened the doors for the two women. As they entered, they were taken aback by the beauty of the castle. The walls and floors seemed to glow with some unearthy light, as if it had been blessed by the gods themselves.

"By the gods, it is beautiful..." Zelda murmured. Samus couldn't help but agree. At the end of the room stood five men and women. Samus recognized one man as the swordsman portrayed in the statue. Along with him was a woman with light brown hair and light armor. She also had a small crown upon her head. The queen, Samus assumed. Another woman, this one with crimson hair, the same armor as the queen, and a spear in her hand. She seemed more than capable as a warrior, but she was also radiant. There was a large man with dark brown hair. He had heavy armor, and seemed to be perpetually serious. As for the last woman, she was younger than the others, and had the same blue hair and sword as the man who stood next to her. Related?

"Samus, she's one of us!" Zelda whispered, pointing at the blue haired girl excitedly. At the point, the party of five had focused their attention on their two new guests. The blue haired swordsman stepped forward.

"Welcome to Ylisse, Princess Zelda and company! My name is Chrom, the prince of Ylisse." He bowed to the two "This is my wife, Queen Sumia of Ylisse. Before we begin our meeting, may I ask where you are from really?" Zelda stopped short, before she gave her response.

"It would honestly be better for us to explain it privately, if possible." Chrom motioned to the large somber man.

"I have already prepared the diplomatic room in case it was needed." The large man was serious, but did have a layer of pride and eagerness hidden underneath. Chrom nodded.

"As expected of you, Frederick, you always prepare ahead." There was warmth in his voice. He turned to Zelda and Samus. "Follow me. Do you need anything? You must have traveled far." Zelda hadn't realized how hungry she was. She nodded shyly. "Well, we'll have something cooked up. Frederick! Can you call upon Lissa? She may need to be here as well."

"I'm not sure I'm qualified to tell Lissa where to go, Milord."

"You're her husband, Frederick. You're the only person who could convince her to go anywhere."

This seemed to please Frederick. "W-well, if you say so, milord, I'll ask for her at once!" He bustled out of the room like lightning. Samus noticed that the queen and the redhead had been conversing amongst themselves the whole time, and it looked like the redhead had been . . . crying? The blue haired swordswoman looked concerned, and kept patting the redhead's shoulders.

Another long table. Samus was getting tired of boardrooms. She and Zelda sat on one side, Chrom on the end, and the others at the opposite end. A bright-eyed girl with blonde pigtails had joined them now. Everyone looked at the two quizzically. The queen cleared her throat. "So... You're from different worlds and use gates to enter various places." She looked for confirmation. "So why did you enter our world?"

Zelda and Samus paused from their eating. Hot food was always the best medicine for a dimensional trip. "Well, every couple of years, a crazed hand likes to find great heroes and force them to compete against each other for prizes and 'glory'." Samus looked at Zelda. "Did I miss anything?" Zelda shook her head, her mouth full of stew. Chrom frowned.

"And you think that I would be okay with Lucina entering this tournament?" Chrom asked.

"Father, shouldn't you take my opinion into consideration?"

"Lucina, this just seems too fantastical! There is no Hyrule here, and these stories could just be stories!" Chrom looked at Samus, "No offense intended." Samus shrugged.

"None taken, I honestly would have preferred it if Marth had handled it." She took another bite of the stew. Lucina perked up.

"The hero of legends?! You speak of him so informally!" Lucina was shocked.

"Yeah, he has all this 'aura of regalinessness', but he's just a big softie." Zelda giggled softly at Samus's silliness. "Honestly, though, there's no real danger, and it's a good way to make good friends from interesting places." She shrugged, "But it is really strange, and I don't blame you for being suspicious." Lucina seemed lost in thought.

"Father, this is my decision." Lucina said with finality. "But I will need some time to think it over. Is that alright?" She looked at Zelda.

"Of course. Take as long as you need, there is the matter of the other person we are searching for, so you may have more time than you actually need." Zelda smiled warmly at Lucina. As she looked around the room, she noticed the solemn tone that had suddenly come over the group. Lucina looked at the floor, and the redheaded spearwoman had stiffened and her eyes had grown cloudy and unfocused. Zelda took a look out the window. "Lord Chrom, I noticed you have a lovely garden."

Chrom smiled, "It was something that my older sister loved more than anything." The blonde girl with pigtails – the name was Lissa, if Zelda remembered correctly – smiled and spoke up.

"The garden was the best way to remember Emm! At least, that's what I thought." Zelda looked at Lissa pleasantly.

"I would like to take a turn in it, if that is possible." Zelda pointedly looked at the redheaded spearwoman. Sumia caught the look. The queen looked at her counterpart.

"I think that's a lovely idea, your Majesty!", she looked at Chrom, "But there's still the business that you have presented to us, along with other -" She was cut off by the spearwoman, who stood up awkwardly.

"I'll go with you, your Highness.", she had said it louder than she had meant to, and rather forced. Sumia frowned.

"Cordelia, are you sure? You don't need to force yourself -" Cordelia nodded her head.

"You are very busy, and I'm the Captain of the Pegasus Knights. It would be rude and unsightly of me." She paused. "Also, it might be good for me." She backed away from the table. Zelda got up from her spot in the table, and followed Cordelia from the room. When the two left the room, Samus turned to the king and queen.

"Everyone's been acting strange every time Robin's been mentioned." Samus's voice became more grim. "I've seen it before." Chrom and Sumia looked at each other, Lissa's look of guilt permeated the atmosphere. Even Frederick looked more grim than usual.

"When did Robin die?"

* * *

 _Thank you all so much for reading! Any comments or critiques are much appreciated still. You all rock!_


	3. A Walk Amongst the Flowers and Swords

_**Thank you everyone for your support! It means a lot to me! As always, reviews and critiques are appreciated!**_

 **Chapter 3: A Walk Amongst the Flowers and Swords**

* * *

"When did you and Robin first meet?"

"E-excuse me?"

"You must have known Robin very well for you to be so bothered by us talking about him." Zelda and Cordelia walked through the garden leisurely. "I mean, the way you looked when we first mentioned him, it wasn't my imagination, was it?" She took a seat on a stone bench. Cordelia followed suit. "You loved him, didn't you?"

Cordelia shivered. Her hands balled into fists in her lap. "Y-yes." Zelda saw tears drop onto the ground. "I mean, of course I did! He was my husband!" Cordelia's voice was rising. Zelda touched her shoulder gently.

"I would like to know more about him, if possible". Cordelia sniffed, looking up at the Princess. "Cordelia, it might help you too."

* * *

"... I met Robin in the Shepard's Camp. It was late summer, and we had just suffered a terrible loss. We barely managed to survive." The summer breeze blew through the garden. "I had lost a lot of my friends that day. I had become that last Pegasus Knight." Cordelia paused. "Robin had no reason to talk to me that night, he had so much else on his mind."...

* * *

 _One Year Ago-_

… Cordelia entered the tent. Robin had called on her personally, or so Vaike claimed. She attempted to knock on the tent flap. Not exactly an easy task.

"Permission to enter?" Cordelia squeaked out.

Robin popped out from behind the tent flap. His white hair was disheveled, his eyes had bags under them, and he seemed to have grown older over the day. He looked at Cordelia, and silently opened the flap wider, inviting her inside.

The tent was large and cluttered, filled with loose papers. There were two seats with a small desk inbetween them. She took the seat closest to the front of the tent. Robin sat across from her. He put his head on the desk and let out a large sigh.

"I apologize that you must see me like this, Cordelia. I know that your loss is much greater than mine." Robin's voice was muffled by his desk. "I'm supposed to interview all Shepards as soon as possible."

"Robin, with all due respect, this should wait until you have gotten some rest." Cordelia stopped herself from touching his head. "I'll be . . . fine."

Robin snorted. "You're a poor liar, Cordelia. A very poor liar." He lifted his head from his desk. "You've lost more than I can imagine, but I suppose you do have a point." He stumbled over to the entrance. "We will continue this later. I'll just have to trust in you for the moment." Cordelia stood and made her leave of the exhausted tactician.

"Cordelia? Please take care of yourself." Robin called out. She froze, and then smiled. It had been a long time since someone had told her that outside of battle.

* * *

"Even then, he was there for me." Cordelia smiled. "Zelda, when he asked me to marry him, I saw a man who could look past my awkwardness. A man who loved me as much as I loved him. I was happy." Her fists clenched harder. Zelda gently put her hand back on the redhead's shoulder.

"He seems like a good man." Zelda softly said. Cordelia smiled.

"I tried my damnedest to keep my distance from him, though." She held Zelda's hand. "You know, wartime is a terrible time, and it wouldn't be the last time I- failed..."

"Cordelia!"

Cordelia did not pause. Two Plegians screamed as the crimson knight shredded through them. She had to get to Phila. She couldn't let her teacher die here, in this wasteland. She deserved to die old, surrounded by her many students. Not in a desert where Cordelia had failed her again. She was so blinded by rage that she didn't feel the sudden weight around her waist, until she noticed she was being dragged off her pegasus.

"Cordelia!" Robin had grabbed her. "It's over! We need to leave!" Tears streamed down his face. "I'm sorry, Cordelia!" Cordelia's fist connected with Robin's stomach.

"You idiot!" She shrieked. "You failed them!" She couldn't hear Robin trying to reason with her. She threw a kick at the backpedaling tactician. "You! You! You!" She dropped down on her knees, sobbing. "Everyone is gone." She felt Robin lift her up and begin moving her.

"I'm sorry, Cordelia." She could hear him through the thunder and echos of Plegian soldiers. "I know I failed them. But I can't let you end everything. You have too many people that need you." Cordelia blinked in confusion. Few people had even talked to her, how could she-

Almost as soon as they had started moving, Robin screamed in pain. An arrow pierced his shoulder. Cordelia turned around, and stared down the soldiers advancing to them. Cordelia's eyes flashed.

"I've already lost too much today. I'm not letting you take him too." She snarled defiantly. Many Plegians would remember the Crimson Terror, at least, those that survived.

* * *

"Wow." Zelda was quiet. "Those were your first few meetings with him?"

"The first and . . . maybe the fifth real conversation." Cordelia giggled. "I mean, we didn't marry for another two years! It's just interesting how war can really..." She fazed out, staring at the sky.

"I'd like to hear more at some point. You too seemed to be very... meant to be." Zelda smiled. "Even though the two stories you told me were more violent than Hyrulian fairy tales..." Cordelia started speaking, but it was clear she hadn't heard what Zelda had said.

"...And of course he had to be the Avatar of death and destruction, and of course he had to sacrifice himself!" Cordelia was crying now. Zelda held her in her arms.

"You've been through so much, my dear." Zelda put her fingers through Cordelia's hair. The crimson was almost mesmorizing. "However, the saga of Robin and Cordelia is not over quite yet." Cordelia looked up.

"Zelda, lying to make me feel better is a terrible thing." Cordelia sniffed. Zelda shook her head.

"I'm not lying to you, Cordelia. If Master Hand has sent us here, then that means that both smashers are here." Zelda looked back at the castle. "Which means we will have to use..."

* * *

"This baby is called the Smash Positioning System, kinda like GPS, but it has..." Samus looked at everyone else. They all looked like they had seen a ghost. Maybe it would be best to keep it short and simple. "... Well, to keep it simple, we should be able to find Robin if he's alive."

Lissa was fuming. "You kept this to yourself, why?"

"Easy. This technology is dangerous. We wanted to avoid using this kind of stuff because of what it can do to the timeline and crap." Samus lazily motioned her hand in small circles. "But now it looks like we don't have much of a choice." Lissa tried to subtlely reach out towards the SPS, but Samus gave her a challenging look.

Lissa crossed her arms and pouted. "Doesn't look dangerous at all." She muttered.

"Well, I didn't mean like a weapon." Samus took the SPS from the table. "This kind of stuff could be used to create weapons, though. Things that would make it easy to conquer entire planets." Samus continued talking, while messing with the machine. "Alright, here we . . . are!" The machine started making several beeping sounds. "Oh good, it's only at 85% battery, so hopefully we can make this fast." Samus pressed on the touch screen. A small blue dot appeared in the same room. She faced the screen towards the others. "So this dot is Lucina, here. The center is me, and there should be a pink dot that represents Zelda over a little bit." She pressed another button. "So let's zoom out, and we should see Robin's dot somewhere on this map." She kept zooming out, past the city, past the region, past the continent. All of a sudden, deep in the west, a purple dot began blinking. Samus put the SPS down triumphantly. "There! Found him! He's very far away, but he's there!" Chrom was silent, but his smile gave it away. Lissa and Sumia started squeaking with enjoyment. Even Frederick seemed to brighten up. They looked at the map, and Lissa frowned.

"Wait, is that where I think that is?"

* * *

"Listen, Cordelia, the truth is that Samus isn't my bodyguard, she doesn't even use the spear she has."

"That's a shame, I thought she could get me a good workout, actually."

Zelda giggled. "She still would, but she's much more . . . hand-to-hand combat oriented." She mock grappled, making an exaggerated grimace. "But that's not the point. Samus is from a different world, where technology has grown to a different level. There are a lot of smashers from these kind of planets, and they have technology. Ways to find people."

Cordelia frowned. "But Robin's gone."

"I would expect you to be the last to give up, Cordelia." Zelda face darkened. "Master Hand wouldn't have sent us here on a wild goose chase. If he sent us here, then that means that both people we're searching for are here; he... likes efficiency."

"How can you know? You sound so sure." Cordelia stared down the princess.

Zelda grimaced. Should she explain the technology to Cordelia? From around the corner, Zelda could hear the sounds of several people walking through the garden in a quick pace. Samus burst around the corner, a communicator to her ear. She was agitated and arguing with someone over the phone.

"I don't understand what's so difficult about this request!" Samus's voice was raised. "We may need backup, so I'm requesting backup!" Long pause. "Jigglypuff, I get that some of you are busy, but air support may be necessary, and I need you to cooperate!" Another long pause, Samus clenched in anger. _"_ _ **WHO CARES ABOUT A STUPID FASHION SHOW?! YOU ARE TESTING MY PATIENCE TO THE BITTER END, AND I WILL PUT YOU IN A GODDAMN POKEBALL IF YOU DON'T FIND ME SOMEBODY TO ASSIST US!"**_ Samus hung up and shoved the communicator in her belt. "Goddamn nuisance."

"Jigglypuff's working the comm center today?"

"Yeah, the primadonna didn't want to ' _annoy'_ the other smashers, especially on the day of the "Hoenn Region PokeFashion Contest." Samus looked at her communicator. "Whatever that means."

Zelda looked at the others. Lissa was wide-eyed, looking at the fuming bounty hunter. The others also seemed slightly perturbed. Zelda felt her communicator vibrate. She pulled it out, no sense keeping it a secret. She had received a text from Falco.

 _Falco: lol Aran lost her temper?_

 _Zelda: Yes, apparently Jigglypuff was being difficult._

 _Falco: not surprising, she doesn't enjoy comm center duties. XD_

 _Zelda: How did you hear about that? Word gets out pretty fast?_

 _Falco: Jigglypuff sent a request out about a minute ago, not a lot of response, I think ppl think you and sam can handle it._

 _Zelda: I'm actually in the dark about it right now..._

 _Falco: really? That's strange. Samus not briefing you?_

 _Zelda: Keeping other company at the moment, something just came up._

 _Falco: Well, Pikachu and I will be making a visit tomorrow morning, it's almost midnight, and we need to set up a ship portal._

 _Zelda: We shall be glad to have you._

 _Falco: glad to be had lolololol XDD g'night!_

"Samus," Zelda faced her counterpart. "Falco and Pikachu will be joining us tomorrow to provide support." She stared down the bounty hunter. "But I'm wondering why we need support, Samus."

Chrom stepped forward. "Your Majesty, your friend found Robin's location." Cordelia gasped, but Chrom's sobering look quieted her down. "But he is likely not willingly in the location he is in."

Cordelia looked up at Chrom. "My liege, where is he?" She stated, a bit too forcefully.

" **Carrion Isle**." Everyone's face was somber.

Zelda muttered, "Sounds like a lovely vacation spot."

Frederick looked over to Chrom. "Milord, it would be prudent to rally the Shepherds for this mission. I believe that many will take up the call."

"Good idea, Freddy." Chrom looked at Cordelia. "Captain, can you get your pegasus knights to deliver messages to the further away Shepherds?" Cordelia saluted her superior.

"Yessir!" She took off from the garden. Chrom looked at Frederick.

"Frederick, find the Shepherds that are still in Ylisse, and gather them at the castle." Frederick nodded and ran off as well. Lissa ran after him before Chrom could give her a job to do. "Lucina, could you possibly lead our two guests to the guest chambers? Your mother and I need to set up the barracks."

"Yes, father!" Lucina looked eager, and looked at the Zelda and Samus. "Come! You must see the castle!" She ran off ahead of the two. Samus looked at Zelda with an amused look. Zelda leaned over and sighed heavily. Her facade shattered in a second.

"Kid's got some energy." She said as she took a leisurely walk towards the castle. "It'll do her good."

Zelda did not look so amused. "I'll enjoy her energy when I'm not worn down and dead tired." She followed Samus reluctantly into the castle.

* * *

"So these are your quarters." Lucina entered a large room with two large, fluffy beds. "You can stay here while we wait for the rest of the Shepherds." Zelda ran into the room and jumped on one of the beds. The room had bright cream walls, with two braziers sitting near the middle of the room. A small desk sat in the corner of the room, and across from them sat the beds. The room smelled of lavender, and was cleaned to perfection. Samus was impressed. The staff here definitely worked very hard.

"So comfy!" She breathed a heavy sigh. "Samus, these are almost as comfortable as the mansion beds!"

Samus ignored Zelda and looked at Lucina. "How long do you think it would take for all the Shepherds to arrive, Lucina?"

"Probably a few days, it's always takes awhile to get everyone together." Samus frowned.

"Samus, I'll notify the board." Zelda stretched on the bed. "We can't help it if we need to wait for backup, we should just relaaaaaaaaaax." she yawned as she finished her sentence. Samus looked annoyed, staring down the reclined royal. They didn't have time for this, things needed to be done as soon as possible. She looked at Lucina.

"Your dad mentioned a war room. Where would that be?" Samus attempted to mimic the politeness that she had been hearing this whole time. It was really difficult. Lucina attempted a smile, but Samus could tell it was forced.

"I'll lead you to them," She motioned to the door, and led Samus out of the room. From her bed, Zelda swore she saw Samus look at her and mouth 'be careful.' It was so like Samus to worry about such silly things.

* * *

"You know that my father would go with you."

"Excuse me?"

"You're not difficult to read, I can tell you just want to go off and rescue Robin by yourself." Lucina spoke as the two headed down the stairs. "My father would absolutely take the risk if he could." They entered the main hallway, and Lucina moved across, almost completely silent. The evening sun reflected through the stained glass, and shades of red and yellow permeated the hall. Samus almost missed the hard right Lucina took into a new hallway. "But the Exalt has responsibility, and Robin wouldn't appreciate it if you put yourself in danger for him." Samus rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"Maybe you haven't noticed, Princess, but I'm not exactly from your time." Samus didn't hide her annoyance. "I could wipe through these backwards enemies without breaking a sweat." Lucina looked back, they had reached a heavy wooden door, one that didn't match any of the others in the castle.

"Lady Aran, I appreciate your confidence." Lucina was somber. "But if I've learned anything, you can't do everything by yourself, no matter how strong you are." She opened the door, revealing a large room covered in weapons and bookshelves. Samus had never seen such a mess of a room. She heard rustling in the back corner. Sumia popped out from around the corner. She was covered in grease.

"Ah! Lucina! Lady Aran! I could use your help!" She struggled with a heavy breastplate. "We have too much extra armor, I was trying to get it in it's place." Samus walked over and grabbed the armor with one arm. She held it with ease.

"Where do you need it?" Samus asked. This was more her style, heavy lifting and dirty work. Lucina ran to her mother, her voice betraying her concern.

"Mother! Carrying that stuff is dangerous! You could've fallen!" She paused, but Sumia's laughter made it clear that she wasn't listening. "Again!"

"Lady Aran, put it on the wall behind you." Sumia managed to say. "And Lucina, honey, I've fallen six times already!" Samus moved the armor to the wall, bemused. Was it common for the queen to do dirty work here? As she put the armor up, she felt another presence that made her shiver. She jumped around, and saw a figure behind her.

She was wearing a weird gold and black garb, almost bikini like in nature. She was also wearing some sort of black legging like material underneath. Her long black cape flowed with her long black hair, which was held by golden headband. She held a book to her chest, and was staring through Samus.

"Are you trying to steal my Robin, as well?" The bookholder was glaring. Samus looked at Sumia, who worriedly walked over to the two.

"Tharja, are you and Miriel done organizing the spellbooks?" Sumia squeaked out. _So this Tharja scares even the Queen._ Samus thought. _Not good. And 'My Robin?'. She's probably his wife..._

Tharja turned around and glared at the queen. "Not quite, your Majesty." Her voice was grim, but that seemed like her natural demeanor. "But when I detect a new presence, I'm compelled to..." She looked back and Samus and grinned. "...investigate." Samus tried to grin back, forcing an awkward grin.

"I'm Samus Aran, and I'm just helping you guys recover Robin, that's all." She felt disturbed by this Tharja. "I'm not trying to steal your husband or anything." Tharja blushed heavily, but hid behind her book.

"No, no, no. Robin and I are not..." Tharja's voice was quiet. "We just have parity, is all. Like... siblings." _Oops._ Samus could tell that 'siblings' was an afterthought. _Hopefully I didn't touch a nerve there._ "But if you're here to help us find him... then I'll accept you for now." Samus breathed a sigh of relief. Tharja bowed to Sumia, and quickly made her leave amongst the many bookshelves. Samus could hear another voice berating Tharja amongst the shelves, but she couldn't identify much about it. She was distracted by another noise in the back of the barracks. At the end was a giant double door that led to the stables. Chrom had come through the doors, muttering to himself grumpily. It wasn't until he got close that Samus could tell why he was upset. He smelled-

"Abysmal! Father, what could have possibly happened?" Lucina was almost retching, while Sumia was laughing even harder than before.

"I don't want to talk about it." Sumia was now laughing so hard she couldn't breathe.

"Honey, what did you wash-" Sumia was gasping. "What did you wash it off with?"

Chrom looked befuddled. "There was a tub next to the pegusi, I thought that was what you washed them wi-" He was interrupted by Sumia howling with laughter.

"THAT'S THE TROUGH!" Tharja and a woman with a comically large wizard hat and glasses had peeked around a bookshelf. Lucina's face twisted in disgust. "YOU CLEANED YOURSELF WITH USED PEGASUS WATER!"

As Chrom excused himself to go get washed up, Lucina went to her mother to check on her. Sumia was tearing up. Samus looked equally confused and worried.

"How does a group like this save anyone?" Samus said to herself.

* * *

 _That does it for this chapter! My thanks to everyone who has followed, reviewed, and read this story! As always, critiques and reviews are much appreciated!_

 _Thanks again!_


	4. Backwards Compatible

_**I apologize for taking a longer time inbetween chapters, hectic week last week. I also want to thank all of you who have read, reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. It means a lot to me.**_

 _ **As always, reviews are always appreciated! Thank you all! And here's chapter 4:**_

 **Chapter 4: Backwards Compatible**

"G-Diffuser System is at 98%"

"Falco, coordinates are in place in the Gate."

"Flight check, weapon systems are fully functional, shields are charged, fully fueled up."

"Compression systems: normal. Oxygen Rebreathers: normal. Rudders and Flaps are functioning?"

"Check."

"No hull damage detected, engines are responding normally. You're almost there, Falco!"

Falco sat in the cockpit of his little baby, his modified Arwing. Falco had Slippy upgrade the weapons systems to turbolasers and a Mach 6 engine. Fox wasn't a fan of the modifications, but Falco had managed to butter up Slippy enough that he went through with it anyway. The Arwing was mostly white, with blue accents on the wings and engines. However, in addition to mechanical modifications, Falco decided to make his baby a little more unique. He had several red and black stripes on the wings and main hull of his ship. Fox called it an eyesore, but Falco knew jealousy when he heard it. He checked the modules on his dash then looked at the clock. He sighed. Pikachu was late. Again. He touched his headset.

"Yo, Slips!" He barked over the headset. The diminutive frog was still under the Arwing, finishing flight checks.

"What is it Falco? I'm not quite finished here." Slippy looked from under the ship.

"Where's my little hitchhiker at? We've got to get a move on here!"

Slippy put on some goggles. "Well, the G-Diffuser system is still only at 99% integrity, so, by the book, you're not going anywhere until I'm done."

"Alright, Slips, I got it." Falco touched the headset again, and there was silence. It was surprising that Samus would be the one having the most trouble. Every other group had reported in with success, even Marth and Ike, and they had a Level 5 danger area. Falco hadn't met any of the new blood yet, but they were supposed to begin gathering tomorrow, and group interviews and the ceremonial opening smash was in a week. The pilot rested his head, maybe he could take a quick nap. He closed his eyes, hearing the the rhythmic sounds of Slippy's wrench. The Arwing was strong and fast, but it wasn't exactly known for comfort. It had been what felt like hours, but Falco was awoken by the sound of his hatch opening. He yawned and stretched his wings. He opened his eyes and saw the little electric mouse. Pikachu was wearing a bizarre flight uniform, with an orange vest and little helmet with orange visor. Pikachu eagerly hopped into the cockpit.

"What took you so long, pipsqueak?" Falco asked facetiously.

Pikachu motioned with his little arms and squeaked out an excuse or two. Something about movies and looking good for the trip. It was nice to have universal translating technology, because pokemon would be impossible to understand. But it was still difficult, and a lot of it was taking educated guesses based on root words and stuff. "A movie?" Falco asked. "This alert is kinda important, so a movie ain't gonna fly with me." Slippy peeked out from under the Arwing.

"Falco, cut him some slack! It's not like you'd have left anyways!"

"Which reminds me, how's the G-Diffuser coming along?"

"Just finished with it, you're cleared to head out!" Slippy ran out of the hangar, to the control room. The ether flashed a bright blue in the gate in front of him. These gates were gigantic by comparison, they had to be to allow multiple sized ships access to various points in the universe. Falco flipped several switches on the Arwing, and the canopy closed and sealed itself. Falco pressed a button, and the internal lights dimmed.

"Last check, Slips! Engine is good! Cabin is compressed! Fully fueled up and ready to go!" He heard Slippy over the headset.

"Wait, Falco, that's the laziest check in I've ever heard! That's not even half of the-" Falco flipped another switch, and slammed on the throttle.

"Oops! My hand slipped!" the Arwing launched itself into the ether, leaving Slippy's worries to himself. He shook his head in resignation.

"If anything goes wrong, it's my froggy butt on the line." He grumbled.

Zelda awoke with the sound of thunder and a flash of lightning entering her room. She jumped up from her bed, startled. She looked to her left. Samus was still sleeping soundly, curled up facing the wall. Zelda quietly got out of bed, and tiptoed to the washroom across the hall. As she drew the bath, Zelda peeked out into the hallway. She looked to the left, then the right. As she looked to the right, she felt a presence from where she just looked. Zelda quickly turned to the left. The large armored man from yesterday was towering over her, she recalled his name was Frederick. Frederick was covering his eyes and holding out several towels.

"Milady, I heard the bath being drawn, so I took the liberty of bringing extra towels." He stated quickly. Zelda gently took the towels from Frederick's hand.

"My thanks, Sir Frederick. I am decent, though, so you don't have to cover your eyes." Zelda was stifling a laugh.

"If you are sure, milady." Frederick paused, peeking to see if Zelda was nodding in approval. Once he saw it, he relaxed himself. "I'm glad I was quick, another minute, and you might not have been so decent."

"And I would have had no towels!" Zelda giggled, "And that would have been a true disaster!" Frederick smiled in reaction. "You all have been such wonderful hosts to us, I really do appreciate it."

"It is an honor to be visited by people from different kingdoms, and royalty at that." Frederick pontificated. "And the news of Robin being alive is most welcome as well." Thunder echoed throughout the castle. Zelda shivered.

"Does Ylisse have many storms like this?"

Frederick shook his head, frowning. "Not usually. It has not been this dreary since..." Frederick paused. "Since the last Exalt left us."

Zelda whispered. "Emmeryn?" Frederick stared down the princess.

"You have heard of her?" Zelda nodded. Cordelia had talked about her yesterday. "She was the closest to an angelic being that Ylisse has seen. It was always about her people, not herself." The knight looked wistful. "When she sacrificed herself, it was like light itself had died." He paused. "But alas, I am rambling. You should get yourself ready for the day."

Zelda looked quizzically at Frederick. "Special training today?"

Frederick smiled. "No, but if you are interested, I can train you. Today, you are meeting the whole group of Shepherds. They will be very excited to meet you." He bowed. "I take my leave, milady." Zelda curtsied, and Frederick quickly made himself scarce. Zelda closed the door to the washroom and bolted it shut. Frederick might have forgotten some extra soap or something. As she finally lay in the steaming bathwater, Zelda let her mind venture forth. The Hylian royalty had a little trick that they could use, where they could detect people and emotions. The Triforce of Wisdom expanded this, and she could see with her mind's eye. She began to move from room to room. She saw Frederick folding some laundry with the little princess of Ylisse. _Lissa, if I remember correctly._ Zelda thought to herself. She moved to another room, where Cordelia was speaking to two girls. Zelda thought one of them looked very familiar. She had white pigtails and a slight sneer on her face. She had the same face as Cordelia, but with a little more attitude. The other girl had crimson hair, but her face was slightly different. Her chin was not as pointed, for one, and her hair was definitely only similar in color. It went in various directions. None of this perturbed Zelda, until she looked upon the young woman's coat. It was dark purple, with various markings adorning it. Zelda had a sudden headache, and she felt a strong pull from the coat. Residual dark magic. It had to be. Zelda shook her head, and moved to a different room. There was an orange headed man trying to eat two different cakes at once. A man in green armor with messy brown hair was attempting to pull away one of the cakes. Zelda could detect another presence, but only saw what looked like armor that had been re purposed for decoration. Another loud thunderstrike, and Zelda was back in the bath. She quickly finished cleaning, dried herself off, and dressed in a robe. She quickly tiptoed back into the room, where Samus was sitting on the edge of her bed. She looked up at Zelda.

"Finally, I've been looking forward to a good bath for like, an hour!" She quickly ran into the washroom. Zelda closed the door behind her. She looked around for her dress, but couldn't find it. Almost on cue, she heard a knock on the door. She opened it just a crack, hiding most of her. A girl with the same blue hair as Lucina was at the door, holding a dress in her hands.

"Hiya!" She was much louder than Zelda was expecting. "I'm Cynthia! Lucy and Freddy told me that your dress was being cleaned, so I brought over a replacement!"

Zelda smiled. "I'm touched! You didn't need to do that!" Cynthia laughed.

"Well, to be honest, I just wanted to meet the people from a different world!" She took a deep breath, "I mean, it's not every day you meet new heroes, and you're from a different world, so that's even more exciting! I was wondering if you could tell me some stories from your world, kinda like an interview or something because that would be really really really fun and-" Cynthia was interrupted by a small voice from behind the door. Zelda could not see the origin of the voice, but it was very weak and fragile sounding.

"Cynthia, we shouldn't bother the guest, that would be rude." Zelda could make out jet black on very pale skin. Zelda opened the door further. The other girl wore light armor over a forest green tunic. Her hair was held by several feathers. Her features and hair were striking, but her demeanor oozed a lack of confidence.

"Truthfully, I don't mind." Zelda said gracefully. She motioned to invite the two in. Cynthia made a b-line for the edge of the bed, seating herself like a child around a campfire. The other girl tiptoed to the the bed and quietly placed herself on the edge. "I would like help with this dress anyway."

"Wow, your majesty, that dress really suits you." Zelda looked at the doorway. Samus was wearing her Zero Suit, walking towards her bed. The bounty hunter motioned to the two girls who had been helping her. "And I haven't had the pleasure of meeting these two."

"Ah! Yes! Samus, this is Cynthia and Noire! They wanted to bring us some clothes to wear, and visit!" Cynthia waved vigorously, Noire moved her fingers a little bit. Samus squinted at Noire.

"You two look familiar. Are you related to other people here at the castle?" She asked.

"Yeah! My dad and mom and the exalt and queen!" Cynthia burst out. "And my sis Lucy is gonna be one of you heroes!" Samus nodded.

"So you're Lucina's sister, I can see it." She turned to Noire. "And you? That hair is really familiar."

Noire was stuttering. "W-w-w-well, my mom is a magician in the court..." Cynthia quickly interrupted.

"Noire! That's not even the most interesting part of your mom!" She scolded. "Noire's mom can hex, like, anybody! And a lot of people want her to be the new leader of Plegia, but she's too cool for that, even though both her and Noire's dad could totally, like, beat up anybody!" Samus was attempting to ignore the outburst, she gave Noire an apologetic look.

"Is your mother Tharja? You have the same hair and skin." Samus tried to make it as polite as possible. Noire nodded meekly. "I see, she seemed nice." It was a white lie, but Noire seemed like a good girl, no reason to be a jerk. A knock on the door caught Samus's attention. Cynthia jumped from the bed, running to the door and throwing it open. Lissa was standing at the doorway.

"Princess Zelda, I wanted to see if the dress I picked out looked-" The blonde looked upon Zelda. "My gods, you look wonderful! You're as radiant as my sis!" Lissa began to tear up. Zelda smiled awkwardly.

"I appreciate it, your highness, but I deserve no such compliment." Zelda said. "Where are we meeting the rest of the Shepherds?"

Lissa wiped her eyes. "You deserve every compliment you get, you really look stunning." She sniffed. "But yeah, I'm here to grab everyone, especially since my niece can't help but bother our new guests." She shot a joking look at Cynthia as she pouted. "Princess Zelda, Lady Aran, follow me, and I'll give you the grand tour!" She left the room, and other four followed. As they all started down the stairs. Zelda moved herself next to Noire.

"Did your mom enchant that necklace?"

"W-what?"

"Did your mother enchant that necklace?" Zelda motioned to the talisman hanging around Noire's neck.

"Y-yes. To be honest, it's a real mixed bag." Noire looked over her shoulder quickly. "I feel braver, but sometimes I lose... control."

"Ah, gets rid of inhibitions?"

"Something like that." Noire looked at her feet. Zelda frowned, maybe this was a subject to avoid. Lightning illuminated the main hall was they entered. Lissa followed the same path Chrom had taken Samus the previous night. But at the last hallway, she took a right, not a left. Behind the door was large dining hall filled with people, at least 20 people! Zelda looked at Lissa, confusion etched on it.

"Well, Chrom wanted us to host a large ball, but how were you going to discern the Shepherds from the stuffy old farts?" Lissa covered her mouth immediately. Samus laughed out loud.

"Your highness, we hear worse all the time." She said reassuringly. "Don't try to censor yourself for our sake."

"Good advice." A new voice, uninterested and curt, entered the conversation. Noire yelped, and everyone turned to the voice's origin. Tharja and a tall, brown haired man were at the doorway. The brown haired man wore a strange robe and belt. His face was serious, even moreso than Frederick's. Tharja walked up to Noire, menacingly. Suddenly, she gave her an awkward hug. As she pulled away, she looked away. "I'm working on showing affection to you, Noire. Apparently it's just supposed to be extemporaneous. I hope it was satisfactory." She seemed to melt into the shadows. The brown haired man approached Noire.

"Daddy, did you say something to mom?" Noire squeaked out.

"Yes, but it was Olivia who really got to her." The man's voice was deep and booming. Samus identified him as a commander immediately. Lissa yawned, and tugged on Zelda's dress.

"C'mon, Zelda! Let's meet some of the Shepherds before Lon'qu makes me gag!" She dragged off Zelda with Cynthia in tow. Samus sighed with exasperation. She looked at this Lon'qu and Noire. Noire looked at Samus.

"Dad, we should follow those three before they get in trouble." Noire stated quietly.

"I trust that you can handle them, Noire. I have to embarrass Vaike, Stahl, and Gaius and get you some more hairpins." Noire blushed furiously, and Samus could hear a small 'thanks dad' from the girl. Lon'qu looked Samus in the eye.

"I assume you're one of our guests." He said bluntly. "I'm not one for conversation, but welcome." He bowed and excused himself. Samus looked at Noire, who returned the look. She sighed.

"Let's go get the others before Zelda allows them to break something."

After several hours, Zelda felt like she had learned a lot. She and Samus had met all of the Shepherds, heard so many stories of their adventures. Of the Fell Dragon Grima, of the assault on Plegia. Zelda was currently in a group of Lissa's friends. The Queen, Sumia, was tittering away with Cordelia, a pink haired girl named Olivia, another redhead named Sully, Miriel, and Tharja. The latter two tended to be very quiet, but would occasionally interject.

"So you come from a world with an unlimited power?"

"Not necessarily. The Triforce needs to be one to grant wishes, but it's split among three people."

"The golden power allows you to do magic without preparation? Pretty damn cool!"

"Well, yes, amongst other things."

"Interesting, we must gather information on this Triforce immediately, in order to quantify the magic inside."

"As interesting as that sounds, I would prefer to keep it safe for now."

Cordelia intervened. "Ladies, let's give Zelda some space here!"

"It's quite alright, but thank you for worrying about me. I'm just excited to meet all the Shepherds!"

"Almost all the Shepherds." Tharja finally spoke up. The others looked at her.

"Who's missing?" Olivia asked. Tharja cracked a smile.

"I would think you would know, considering it's your husband." She said slightly playfully.

"Henry is probably out in the garden." Olivia protested.

"Or he could be running into the room right now." Miriel pointed to the entrance.

A young looking man with white hair was running through the dining area.

"Hahaha! You won't believe it! A bird inside a bird!" Henry shouted out. It took Zelda 2 to 4 seconds to realize what he could've been talking about.

"Oh no."

Zelda looked for Samus, and caught her storming for the door. Some Shepherds were following her out of curiosity. Zelda started moving towards the door as well, and the rest of her new acquaintances followed her. It was still raining outside, but there was a commotion outside the castle. People were exiting their businesses and pointing into the square. Zelda pushed through some of the Shepherds, and in the square was an Arwing. Samus was standing next to it, screaming at the pilot. Zelda could make out the blue feathers of Falco, as well as something small and yellow arguing back at Samus. She could barely make out what they were saying over the storm, but she caught a few words.

"... Irresponsible... in public... can't let you do anything... future!"

"... stick in the mud … backup … efficient."

Zelda pushed through some others, and ran into Lucina's back. Lucina shouted in surprise, while Zelda continually apologized to her loudly. "Ah, Lucina! I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" Lucina nodded. "Good. I'm so sorry about that." She paused for a second. "Um, would you like to meet a couple more smashers?" Lucina's eyes lit up.

"That thing is a smasher?!" Lucina shouted. Zelda laughed loudly.

"No, no, it's a … kind of like a … sky carriage?" She sheepishly said. "The people inside are smashers." Zelda took Lucina's hand and walked her to the Arwing. Falco and Samus were still fuming from their earlier argument. Pikachu waved frantically from inside the cockpit. Zelda held out her arms, and the pokemon leapt from the ship to hug her.

"Good to see you too, my friend." Zelda warmly said. Lucina stared at Pikachu in fascination. Samus noticed and moved towards her.

"This is Pikachu, Lucina. Pikachu is one of the original smashers, and is a surprisingly good fighter, despite the size." Samus pet the top of Pikachu's head. Static came off of the top, shocking Samus slightly. "Dammit!" She recoiled from the shock. "Guess the storm is really strengthening your powers."

"Powers?" Lucina looked concerned. Falco jumped from the cockpit, his feathers were sticking out a various points.

"That lil' rat can harness and attack using electricity." He closed the canopy of the ship. "He also doesn't like flying in cramped spaces, apparently. Almost became a cooked pheasant." He looked Lucina. "Haven't had the pleasure. Falco Lombardi, at your service." He bowed in an exaggerated fashion.

"Lucina, and it's nice to meet you too." Lucina held out her hand. Falco took it in a firm handshake.

Falco turned the still staring Shepherds. "Alright! Now that introductions are outta the way, how about some grub?"


	5. The Knight of Tomorrow

**Chapter 5: The Knight of Tomorrow**

The mess hall was filled with the cacophony of multiple conversations and the clanging of both plates and mugs. Samus chose to sit next to Falco, of whom most of the shepherds had gathered around, just to see what "future warriors" had in their arsenal. Falco was more than willing to show everyone what he could do.

"The blaster takes a focused beam of plasma, shooting it at a very fast speed, almost like light. That's why some people call it a laser blaster." Falco waited until the oohs and ahhs subsided. "It's much more accurate than most other weapons out there." He boasted. "And it packs a wallop!" A woman with short red hair, Samus recalled her name was Sully, snorted.

"Accuracy is in the shot, not the weapon." Sully laughed. Falco smiled.

"I'll take that bet! Your best archer against my blaster?" Falco asked, staring down the cavalier sharply. Sully smiled, though everyone else seemed nervous. _Appropriate response._ Samus thought. _Falco rarely misses a shot._ Sully slammed down her mug after taking a deep swig.

"You got it!" She looked at her comrades. "So who's up to the challenge?" Most of the shepherds pointed to two different people. One was the black haired Noire, whom seemed to shrink slightly. The other was a noble looking man with long greyish blue hair and a long proud face. He had introduced himself to Samus and Zelda earlier as Virion. Zelda found him charming. Samus could tell that, despite being married to the mage Miriel, he was flirtatious. That was annoying.

Virion smiled, and spoke up. "My friends, while it would be an honor for the 'archest of archers' to engage in this contest, the truth is that Noire is much more accurate than me." He motioned to the girl, who seemed to shrink even more. "It would be remiss of me to accept unless Noire refuses."

* * *

Zelda had chosen to sit with Cordelia and Sumia, who had kept themselves close enough to hear the conversation next to them, but far enough to be able to speak privately.

"Do you think Robin's truly alive?" Sumia asked in a hushed tone. Zelda nodded.

"It's a certainty now," Zelda paused. "But the reality is we don't know what shape he's in." Cordelia paled when another voice interjected into the conversation.

"Shape he's in? What kind of rescuers are you?" The girl they had met in the city had appeared behind Cordelia, along with Lucina, Cynthia, and a girl with bright red hair and a long black cloak. Zelda recognized her as one of the people that Cordelia was talking to earlier in the day. Zelda bowed respectfully.

"Technology is not infallible." Zelda maintained. "It would take a lot of scouting to be able to figure that out." The girl huffed in frustration.

Cordelia spoke up. "Severa, this is Princess Zelda of Hyrule." Severa curtseyed out of habit. "Zelda, these are my daughters Severa and Morgan." She pointed to the redheaded girl in the cloak. She seemed to be struggling to keep quiet. Sumia smiled and motioned to Lucina and Cynthia.

"And you've already met Lucina and Cynthia, I assume." Zelda nodded her head, smiling. She curtseyed as well.

"A pleasure to meet all of you." She looked into Severa's eyes. There was anger, indignation, but most of all, fear, hidden in those eyes. "Severa, I can promise you, we will do everything in our power to find and bring back Robin." Severa's eyes wavered for a second, her chin scrunching up for a moment. The cacophony to their left suddenly grew and morphed into a chant of "Noire! Noire! Noire!" Zelda could see Tharja looming in the corner begin to move towards the noise, eyes growing darker. Lon'qu turned from his conversation with Chrom, an orange haired rogueish man, and the empty suit of armor and began to move towards it. Severa must have seen it too. Because, while Zelda had sworn she hadn't seen her move, she was already at arms length to the cowering Noire.

* * *

Samus shielded Noire from the other Shepherds, who seemed to be smitten with the idea of Noire taking on the "future soldier." And Falco seemed to like the idea too, because he started chanting her name. Samus looked at the cowering figure. Noire seemed frozen, but she managed to look Samus in the eye. Samus gave her a wink.

"It's not so bad when you can't see them, huh?" She quietly said. That was when she felt someone push around her. The girl with white pigtails was kneeling next to Noire.

"Noire, what happened?" Her voice was harsh, but laced with genuine concern. Noire sniffed a little.

"I'm just being a baby, Sev. You don't need to worry about me." She smiled at Severa.

"Don't lie to me!" Severa raised her voice slightly. "I heard everything!" Samus detected a dark presence approaching from behind. Someone else had noticed as well.

"Uh oh, Tharja!" The white haired mage, Henry, was still smiling, but his voice betrayed his concern. Tharja's eyes were flashing dangerously.

"Who dares pester my daughter?!" Her voice was still soft, but it seemed to cut through all other noise. A deeper voice was heard underneath her own. The crowd backed away slowly.

"Noire, the Shepherds are your friends." Severa continued. "They believe in you." She reached out her hand to Noire, who took it willingly. Severa pulled up the archer. "I believe that you can beat this bird-brain." She winked at Noire. Samus heard Falco protest. Noire smiled slightly.

"Alright Sev, I'll try it." She said quietly. Henry put his hands in the air in triumph.

"WE HAVE A WINNER!" He shouted before he was hit by several chairs. Tharja smiled grimly, putting her hand down. _Note to self, don't anger Noire's parents._ Samus thought to herself. Lon'qu had been dangerously close to starting a fight of his own. Henry was heard laughing and coughing at the same time. "I think you broke something. Ha ha ha... awesome."

* * *

"Pika pika pi pika pika pikachu!" Pikachu had found a weird headband with feathers and beads adorned upon it. The Pokemon was now attempting to judge the contest between Falco and Noire. However, most of the Shepherds just stared in confusion.

"What on earth is he saying?" Lon'qu was the first to ask. Zelda giggled.

"The rules are simple: Each person gets 6 shots, and the best overall score wins." Henry was the first to answer. Samus sighed in relief.

"Thank goodness somebody outside of Zelda and I understand him!" Falco swiveled around.

"I'm here too, Aran!" He muttered. "And I'm working on the translation..."

Henry walked forward, and knelt next to Pikachu, whispering something into his ear. Pikachu looked thoughtful, then nodded in agreement. "I will keep score, for translation purposes." He ran over to the end of the hall, where two targets sat. Olivia called out from the crowd.

"Be careful, honey!" This was met with a casual 'I won't be!' from Henry. Pikachu walked between Falco and Noire and presented a coin. He pointed to Noire, who looked at him in confusion for a moment. Realization dawned on her.

"You want me to pick a side?" Pikachu nodded. "Okay, um... tails?" Pikachu made an exaggerated frown, but flipped the coin anyways. It landed heads, and Pikachu pointed at Falco. Falco steadied his stance, and aimed carefully. The resulting shot echoed throughout the hall. Henry looked from around his cover.

"Bullseye!" He called out. Falco grinned, and holstered the weapon. He looked at Noire.

"Your move." He said cockily. Noire looked nervous. Still, she steadied her grip, nocked an arrow, and aimed. Zelda noticed the change in demeanor immediately, and many of the shepherds grew quiet. This must have been a common occurance.

The arrow made a sharp 'thunk' sound as it struck the center of the target. Falco cocked his head in confusion as the Shepherds went wild. Samus couldn't stop herself from cheering for the introverted archer. Henry confirmed the bullseye.

"Alright, good shot, kid." Falco smiled. "Looks like you'll be a good match after all."

All 6 shots had been fired from both parties, and even though Henry was counting numbers, there was no question that Noire and Falco were evenly matched.

"Well, 10 bullseyes, 5 from each of you, and each of you had an 8 point shot." Henry had that permanent grin on his face, but was attempting to sound professional, perhaps at the request of Pikachu. "Well, it was clear before, but this proves it. We have a tie, ladies and gentlemen!" The Shepherds were cheering, and Noire smiled widely as Cynthia, Severa, and a smaller girl, Nah, attempted to lift her up. Tharja was smiling from ear to ear, and even Lon'qu mustered a grin. Samus looked at Falco, maybe he'd be pouting. But even he looked happy. He raised his feathered wing. The Shepherds quieted down.

"That was pretty incredible shooting, kid." Falco began. He walked over to Noire, and held out his wing. "If you ever want to teach me some archery, I'd be honored." Noire took his hand and shook it firmly.

"I-I-I'd like to try your weapon, actually." She admitted. Falco laughed.

"Absolutely, Kid! We'll work on it on the road."

Samus looked at Zelda. "This went much better than I was expecting." She admitted. Zelda nodded in agreement. "Chrom's much smarter than I initially thought. This kind of thing was what everyone needed before a long march."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Samus and Zelda turned around. Chrom was standing behind them, grinning mischievously. "I did learn a few things from Robin." He said, feigning offense. He paused for a moment, then continued. "I'm glad you brought backup, even if it is … unconventional. We've received reports that a large group of people are amassed in Carrion Isle." Zelda frowned.

"Why would someone like Robin be of any use now?" Samus asked. "He's a war hero, yes, but to have an army protecting him..." Zelda interrupted.

"It's the Grimleal, isn't it?" She looked at Chrom. His wince betrayed him before he even spoke. "Cordelia told me about the Grimleal. They plan on resurrecting the Dragon of Death."

"It would make the most sense, but Robin gave up his life to kill Grima, so it's a waste of time." Chrom was confident.

"If I know anything about evil, it always comes back in some form." Zelda was grim, a surprise to Samus. "It may be that Grima cannot be resurrected, but we should make haste." Chrom nodded, and clapped his hands together. The Shepherds faced their leader in silence.

"Shepherds, we have several long days ahead of us! Get some rest, for tomorrow, we venture forth to recover our dear friend and comrade, Robin!" The room boomed with cheers from the group, and they began to disperse. As Zelda and Samus began to head to their room, Samus felt hand grab her arm. She turned around to see Severa grabbing her.

"May I ask for a moment of your time?" She asked both Smashers, faking politeness. Samus was about to respond with equal attitude, but Zelda answered first.

"Of course, Severa. Would you like to take a walk in the garden? I've grown to love it." Before Severa could answer, Zelda already began walking towards the entrance. Samus glared at the young girl, and Severa glared back, before following her.

"Are you two sure it's daddy?"

Zelda looked up from the flowers she was admiring. "I'm sorry, why do you ask?"

"I need to know. I need to know you're not just making some guess." Severa stood several steps back, and Samus had taken a seat on a nearby bench.

"Severa, I know that future tech is new to you, but the thing is pretty damn accurate." Samus chose to field the question. "If Robin wasn't here, we wouldn't have caught his life force, and therefore, we wouldn't be here."

Severa seemed slightly satisfied. "I've already lost dad twice, and I'm not about to lose him a third time, just because some strangers said some babble about "life force" or whatever." She said it forcefully, trying not to cry. Zelda approached her, and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"I know you're scared, but you can trust us." Zelda was quiet, and her voice soothing. "We want to help your father as much as everyone else. We are here to save him."

"So you can take him to your gladiator fights?"

"I wouldn't call it that! More of a … exaggerated sparring match?" Zelda winced a little.

"Whatever." Severa brushed off Zelda's hand, and began to walk away. "Just … be right, okay?" With that, she ran inside the castle.

Samus spoke up. "You know, she's not completely wrong. We're essentially saving him to take him away again." Zelda glared at the bounty hunter.

"Let's just focus on saving him first." Zelda's demeanor had changed slightly. "You saw that group. They all loved him, and they believe in us." She was sounding harsher. Samus stood up and patted Zelda's back.

"Don't worry, I'm with you on that." She smiled at the princess. "No need to bring the ninja out on me, you know?"

Zelda shook herself back to reality. "I apologize. I was aggravated." Samus laughed brightly.

"It ain't a big deal, your highness." She teased.

"Samus, you know how much I hate it when you call me that." Zelda whined.

"Right, your Hylian-ness." Samus rolled her eyes.

"Now you're just doing it to irk me." But now Zelda was smiling again. The two headed into the castle, preparing for a long day ahead of them.

* * *

"Alright Shepherds! Let's form up!" Chrom's voice echoed throughout Ylisse's square. Many Ylisseans had come to bid the Shepherd's farewell. Chrom and Frederick led the group out of the city and after several hours, the area had gone from lush and green to colder and browner. After several days, they had marched from a cold tundra into the deserts of Plegia. Over the next two weeks, Samus became aware of everyone in the Shepherds. Even though she was generally a loner, she found herself enjoying the company of quite of few of them.

Behind the two leaders was the royal caravan that held Lissa, Maribelle, and Zelda, despite her protests. Sully, Lucina, Lissa's son Owain, and another cavalier by the name of Stahl protected the caravan. Behind them was another caravan, this one hiding several mages. Tharja, Miriel, and a small boy named Ricken were inside. Noire and Henry sat atop the caravan, with Pikachu in tow. Lon'qu, Virion, the orange haired thief that Samus had learned was named Gaius, and the walking armor were surrounding them. The other Shepherds spaced themselves amongst these two caravans, and Samus found herself walking next to the mage caravan. Above her, four pegasus and a dragon flew amongst the clouds. Falco had surprisingly chosen not to take the arwing, stating that he could 'summon' it to him if he needed. He chose to walk with the royal caravan, striking up a conversation with Stahl. Samus was torn from her thoughts by Henry.

"- think that Chrom is calling to you, Miss Bounty Hunter." He said cheerily. Samus grunted her acknowledgment. It had been awhile since she marched anywhere. These last few weeks reminded her of why. After a quick jog up to the front, she reached Chrom. He ordered the group to halt, beckoning Samus to him. In the direction they were facing was a large island in the ocean. The whole island was covered in a sickly fog, and gloom permeated the area. On the edge of the island sat a castle that hung over the cliff.

"We just received word from Panne and Yarne." He was looking at the island. "Apparently the normal routes to the island are being patrolled." Samus remembered Panne and Yarne, they were rabbit looking humans, nothing too unusual, _but why were they the two scouts?_ She once again had to shake herself out of it. _You keep losing focus , Aran. Get it together._ Chrom was talking with Frederick about their next move.

"We could move south and try to cross that way, but then we'd have to brave through the midmire."

"We were lucky enough to make it out of there once, Milord."

"We could take on the Grimleal head on, but we have the disadvantage. They'll see us before we even get close to them." Chrom growled in frustration. Falco had walked up to the group in the front.

"Sam, what's the sitch?" He drawled.

"Grimleal are hunkered down on the island, gonna be hard to get to them without getting spotted." Samus muttered, looking at a map that Frederick had handed her. "Looks like we may need that Arwing after all." Falco nodded his head, as they heard wingflaps from above. Morgan and Cordelia leapt off their steeds, and approached. Morgan looked like a specter with her large black cloak. Chrom debriefed the two on the situation. Morgan closed her eyes in thought. She looked at Falco.

"Does your ship have similar weapons to the ones you displayed to us last night?" Morgan spoke just as fast as normal, but her enthusiasm was replaced by a serious tone.

"Yeah, sorta. They're stronger and can do more damage." Falco spun his blaster around like a gunslinger. "But I'm not sure how effective they'll be against magic users." Morgan lifted off her hood, revealing her optimistic smile.

"That's okay, I just need you to be a distraction!" She said brightly. "Listen, most of us will attack head on, but Falco will use the Arwing to attack their base of operations directly." She pointed to a section of the island in the north. "We need a small group to move around the north while the main group of Shepherds attacks head on." She looked at Samus. "Honestly, Gaius, Panne, Severa, Noire, and you, Samus, should be enough." Samus nodded her head in confirmation.

"Agreed. I'd like to take Pikachu as well." She stated. Morgan shrugged.

"Sure, go for it." She turned to Cordelia. "Mom, can you, Sumia, Cynthia, and Cherche keep watch from above? I'll let you know if we need assistance, but the Grimleal may try to sneak dad's ... dad out of there." She paused, but Cordelia gave her a quick hug.

"Of course, my dear." She smiled softly before heading back to her Pegasus. Chrom patted Morgan's shoulder.

"Good plan, Morgan. Alright, let's get everyone ready to go."

* * *

"I don't see why I'm here. I haven't gone sneaking around in forever!" Severa complained to whoever would listen.

"M-Morgan just thinks you're suited to this mission is all." Noire squeaked. Severa huffed and pouted. Samus groaned internally. Six people were stuck in a small rowboat together. Panne, one of the two rabbit like people, was trying to stretch her legs in the cramped space. Gaius was trying to munch on some fudge as quietly as possible, Pikachu was trying to steal some, and Severa and Noire kept talking.

"Keep quiet, or this will be all for nothing." Samus whispered harshly. She was pretty comfortable, a benefit of the power suit and Chozo training. But the talking was going to be trouble.

"I'm trying, Ponytail, but this fudge is fantastic in so many ways!" Gaius mumbled with fudge in his mouth.

"Ponytail."

"It's my nickname for you. Easier to remember."

"You have one for everyone?"

"Yeah, Ponytail!" He started to count down on his fingers. "Like, your Princess friend is 'Giggles', the mouse is "Cheeks", and your bird friend is "Falcon"".

"His name is Falco, how is that any different?!" Samus had to use every bit of restrait to not shout. Severa 'shh'ed her.

"We need to be _quiet_ or else we're gonna fail!" Samus glared at the girl with pigtails. Panne chose now to intervene.

"Humans, you're all being foolish." She was blunt. "We need to work together to win this battle. Just be silent and wait for the signal." Panne went back to her stretching. Samus pulled out her communicator, and starting messaging Zelda.

Samus: _What's the status of Falco?_

Zelda: _Arwing is here, he's doing a flight check. Why? Getting impatient in there? ;)_

Samus: _Maybe. :/ Severa is so desperate to get going that she's complaining about everything._

Zelda: _She really does care about her family, even if she doesn't show it. Be patient._

Samus was about to text back, when she heard the low hum of an engine. The other people in the boat were already facing the direction of the sound, and she could hear Severa mutter "Looks like fun.".

As Falco's Arwing passed overhead, Samus began rowing. "Let's go!" She hissed out. The others nodded and began rowing as well. She could hear the first lazers strike the castle, explosions rocked the sides of the building. Severa gasped audibly.

"DAD'S STILL IN THERE!" She cried out, hoping that Falco could hear her from such a distance.

"Keep rowing!" Panne yelled. "We can't rescue him from out here!"

Samus gritted her teeth. Hopefully Falco wouldn't go too far.

They reach the coast in about half an hour of tough rowing. As they disembarked, they encountered no resistance.

"Your friend's distraction is working perfectly." Panne observed, grinning. From behind Samus and Panne, Severa started sprinting towards the Castle, which was trying, unsuccessfully, to fight off the single Arwing. Noire was close behind, and Pikachu followed the two younger Shepherds. Gaius frowned slightly.

"I don't enjoy going in half-assed, but it looked like that's what we're gonna do." Gaius sighed. Samus and Panne looked at the thief, and followed Severa, Noire, and Pikachu on the path towards the castle.

* * *

 _Once again, thank you to everyone who has reviewed and followed and read this story! I really appreciate it. Chapter 6 will come out soon!_


	6. The Great Tactician

**Chapter 6: The Great Tactician**

The castle was a beautiful piece of architecture, semi-gothic style, looming over both a valley and the ocean. Falco could see why someone would consider it a great place to hide someone important. It felt almost, unsporting to use the vast advantages that people like him and Samus held.

"Jellybean to Bluefeather, is the castle holding?" He heard crackle over his intercom. He groaned. He had taught Morgan and Lucina how to use the radio, and Morgan insisted that she take over the radio. And then she gave everyone codenames.

"Fal- um... _Bluefeather_ to Jellybean." He rolled his eyes. "Castle is stable, but I don't think I can do much else without risking the package's safety." He took another pass to confirm.

"Samus to idiots!" Falco heard another voice. "Shooting lasers into a castle is already risking the package!"

"Codenames! It's 'Grumpster' to idiots!" Morgan sounded indignant. "How goes infiltration, Grumpster?"

"I'll report in when we get there, but we can see the castle in flames from here!" The sharp click of a radio ending transmission. _Time for phase two._ Falco thought to himself. He checked the charge on his blasters and reflector. This next part could cut it pretty close.

* * *

Samus was impressed by the efficiency of the small group of Shepherds that accompanied her. Pikachu, of course, was a dynamo on the battlefield. Small, fast, and with a long reach always have an advantage against swords. Panne was no slouch, kicking and throwing enemies into submission. Noire and Gaius provided ample support with their archery, though Noire didn't miss, and Gaius was more about quantity over quality. But the most impressive was Severa. It all seemed so easy for her. She was graceful, calm, and still brutal. It looked like she hadn't even broken a sweat. Samus couldn't help but envy it... just a little bit. _At least I don't have that scowl._ She thought to herself as she hit another soldier with her plasma whip. She could hear Panne laugh over the din.

"Human! That weapon of yours is a marvel! And you fight extremely well!" She kicked another soldier, his body going limp immediately. "I would have a duel with you after this!" Samus smiled.

"I'd rather keep a kick like that away from my head!" She teased. "But I'm down!" She swept the legs out from under another soldier, kicking him in the face. Gaius and Noire had reached the two, and group approached Severa and Pikachu.

Gaius looked towards Samus. "Now, I could be wrong, Ponytail, but I thought this was infiltration. You know, sneak in and try to blend?" Another shot. A soldier gave out a cry of pain. "That's kinda my forte, so I was looking forward to it."

Samus took a potshot at a man coming over the ridge. He froze and convulsed as the Paralyzer put voltage through his body. "That's the next step. I wasn't expecting 'Daddy's little girl' and Pikachu to go off on their own mini-crusade." She gritted her teeth. "We're going to have to get into the castle before everyone is aware of us."

"One step ahead of you!" Panne had already grabbed Noire, and headed towards the ridge. Samus and Gaius followed suit.

The group caught up to Severa and Pikachu quickly. Over the ridge sat several archers, and they had pinned down the two at the edge of the ridge. Falco's arwing could be heard shooting upon some soldiers below them. Must have been the one's that they had missed. Pikachu was the first to notice the other four, waving his arms frantically. Samus groaned.

"Alright, so we have six archers aimed at us." She looked at Gaius. "How many could you take out before they saw you?"

Gaius did some quick thinking. "Well … Sunshine Jr. and I could probably do it, but we'd definitely need a distraction ..."

"I'll take care of that." Samus quickly waved him off. "Panne, I need you to take Pikachu and Severa into the castle as soon as those archers fire on me." Panne nodded. Samus turned back to Gaius. "And if you let me get shot, I will make sure I don't die so _I can kill you myself._ Capiche?" Gaius nodded, wordlessly. "Good." Samus took a runners stance, and sprinted towards the ridge.

* * *

The fancy thing about rocket boots is that nobody thinks you have them until you're flying over them. Or through them. Samus used these baby's to get out of many of a bad date. And she only had to pay damages twice! So when she took that leap over Severa and Pikachu and turned them on, the extra 30 feet of air she got threw all the attention onto her. Every archer was seemingly frozen in place. The archers barely saw Panne carrying two passengers into the castle, and didn't even notice Gaius and Noire aiming at them until three of them were already on the ground. The fourth archer took aim at Gaius, and barely registered the boot aimed at his temple. Noire took out one more, and Samus took care of the last man with a well placed punch to the neck. She looked at the two archers, and nodded with approval. She motioned to them, and the three snuck into the castle, following the Taguel. The first corridor had no trace from the battle, somehow surviving several pass overs by Falco. However, it had probably been emptied. Samus had barely noticed Gaius slowly walk across the room.

"Now, if I had to hide sweets from Cherche here, where would I put them?" She could hear him mutter.

"Why is _that_ relevant?" Severa sneered. Gaius put out his hand, signaling her to be quiet.

"Because, without knowing the layout of the building." Gaius sounded impatient. "I have to go by intuition. Casing a place like this can take weeks; I have a two hour window." He quietly sped over to a staircase to the right of the main hallway. "Ponytail, you and I will head downstairs. Pigtails and Cheeks will take the left upstairs, and Sunshine Jr. and Speedster will take the right upstairs." He motioned for everyone to go. Everyone silently took their positions.

"Why am I trusting you here?" Samus asked the thief. Gaius looked up, a lollypop had suddenly appeared in his mouth.

"Because if there's anything I'm good at, it's taking valuable things from others." She reluctantly smiled. He was strange, but that kind of confidence came from a professional.

* * *

"I'm not quite sure what our purpose here is."

Zelda sat on a large rock, looking across the sea at the now burning castle. The orange flames stood out next to the inky black sea and dark of night. She could make out a blue gnat in the distance, peppering the ground with blaster fire.

"Morgan believes that we are not needed. I'm willing to trust that judgment." Chrom seemed pretty sure of himself.

"If things go sour, though..."

"Then I'll need to use you." A voice from behind startled the princess. Morgan and Lucina walked up to Zelda, Sumia, and Chrom. "I'd rather avoid a large scale invasion with no real ships. That could be a real disaster!"

Zelda nodded glumly. "I guess I can understand that." She continued. "But why did everyone come, then?"

It was Sumia's turn to speak up. "Well, that's because Robin means a lot to all of us! If there was anything we could do, we would do it for our friend!" She looked at the castle. "I'm sure that you've met people like that. Or … people who would do that for you." Zelda frowned. Flashbacks of darker days came to her. Of a man, clad in a cloak of twilight …

"No signal yet, Morgan." Lucina brought Zelda back to reality. "Should we prepare our forces?" Lucina seemed just as eager to enter the battle as Zelda. Morgan sighed.

"Prepare them, but we should wait another half an hour." She conceded. Lucina raced off to the rest of the Shepherds. Zelda looked back at Chrom, who was holding back a sad smile. He noticed her gaze.

"Lucina wronged Robin before the events of his d … disappearance." Chrom explained. "She has spent the past year trying to find ways to make it right. Now that Robin could be back, she's been more determined than ever." He shook his head with a smile. "But Robin forgave her way before he left us."

"I can understand feeling indebted to someone you've wronged." Zelda thought back to several friends back in Hyrule. The black haired swordswoman, Link's adopted father, the old guardsman. She had been unfair to them, but they still did so much for her. Chrom sighed.

"Maybe that is just a burden we all carry from time to time." He mused. "Or maybe I'm just simpler."

Sumia hugged her prince. "Simpler isn't a bad thing. I find it quite charming." Zelda smiled at the two lovers, and stared back out across the sea.

* * *

"Jeez, what is this place?" Samus looked around the gloomy room. Several doors led to other dark rooms, filled with unpleasant devices.

"Guessing it's a cell block, Ponytail." Gaius was working on picking a lock on one of the doors. "Well, not guessing, more like … telling." The lock snapped open, and Gaius opened the door slowly. Samus could hear Gaius retch. Hopefully not who they were looking for.

"Not Bubbles, but whatever they're doing here." Gaius coughed. "Ain't normal."

"Gaius, there are 50 doors here, and most of them have locks." Samus kicked at a door. "Why can't we just kick them down?"

"Defeats the purpose of sneaking," Gaius stepped back from a door. "But I guess that's already ruined anyways." He swung his sword at the lock, hacking it in half. As doors opened, some people limped and stumbled their way into the corridor. However, that only seemed to happen once every three doors or so. As Samus worked her way down the corridor, she found a door with a strange inscription upon it. It was heart shaped, with dark eyes seeming to live through the wood. Crude triangles were etched around the main shape. Samus readied her jet boot. As she kicked it, she noticed the funny sensation of flying. Flying without planning to. She also felt her body slam against the stone walls of the cells. It was then that she felt the 10000 volts course through her body. Still, she was alive, and conscious. That second one was a little surprising. But both were pretty good, considering.

"Whoa, Ponytail, you okay?" Gaius was next to the prostrate bounty hunter. Samus groaned in pain.

"I've been better." She looked at the inscription. "Magic barrier. Should've known better."

"I'll say. This one looks pretty mean." Gaius tried to touch the door, but sparks flew before he could reach it. He backed away. "If Junior or Sunshine were here, this would be easy." As Gaius stood, pondering, both of them heard people coming down the stairs. Gaius quickly pulled Samus up, and dragged her up to the front. If it was Grimleal, then these prisoners were in more danger than Robin would be. "Back up! Back up!" He called out to the other prisoners. The prisoners complied, mumbling amongst themselves. Samus could feel their fear. As they reached the front, they ran into the other four members of their group.

"There was nothing upstairs, so we figured that he must be …" Severa paused, looking at the injured Samus. "Oh gods, what happened to you?" Her concern betrayed her fake annoyance.

"A magical barrier happened." Noire observed. "Pretty nasty one. Mom would know about this." With the last of her strength, Samus tossed the radio to Noire. Everyone gave the bounty hunter a quizzical look.

" _Call her._ " Samus managed to say before finally passing out from the pain.

"Miss Tharja!" Morgan called out. "Henry!"

Henry and Zelda rushed from their tents, and Zelda could see Tharja almost … float to meet them.

"What is it?" Tharja was demanding and gloomy. "I could be hexing these Grimleal instead of just waiting, you know."

Morgan handed the radio to Tharja. "It's Noire, she needs assistance from you, and I thought Henry might be of help."

"And the princess?" Tharja motioned to Zelda. Zelda cleared her throat.

"I know how to work the radio? It would be time better spent helping instead of teaching you mundane technology." She winced. What a terrible reason.

"I say she can help!" Henry declared. "Let's listen to what Noire has to say!"

Zelda pressed the button, and put it near Tharja's face. "Just speak in it." She whispered.

"Noire, what is the meaning of this call?" Immediately with the interrogation. _Mom of the year._ Zelda thought sarcastically. Noire's voice crackled, but was clear enough to hear.

"M-mom, there's a magical barrier blocking a door in the dungeons." Noire sounded concerned. "Samus took a good shot from it, and she's unconscious." Tharja's demeanor changed, somehow it was more positive.

"Hmmm, tell me more, child." Tharja purred. "Was she unconscious immediately, or did she talk to you for a bit?" Henry chose to interject at this point.

"And is there physical damage, and what is it? Nya-ha-ha-ha!" Zelda stared at the dark mage. Laughing now?

"Well … Gaius says she was struck by lightning, but she was awake when we got here." Noire replied, the radio crackling.

"Impressive. Do you have any thunder tomes?" Tharja asked.

"Um … something like that."

"Good. One focused shot of electricity should be enough." Tharja muttered. "Water would work, but the resulting explosion might be more problematic."

"I think we can manage the first one, mom." Noire sounded a little more timid.

"I know, I got a little carried away." Tharja smiled. "Is that all?"

"Y-y-y-yes, mom!"

"Good, go take care of it." Tharja walked away from the group towards her tent. Zelda stared at the retracting figure. Henry cleared his throat.

"Don't let it bother you." He was grinning again. "Tharja isn't one for affection all the time, but she does love Noire." He backed away into his tent. Zelda looked at Morgan.

"Where do you find these people?" She whispered. Morgan shrugged.

"They kinda find us." She answered.

* * *

"Alright, I got an answer!" Noire looked triumphant. "We need Pikachu to hit the thing with a concentrated beam of electricity." Pikachu looked concerned, looking over at Samus, whom Severa was tending to. "Don't worry about that! The magical backlash shouldn't be too much." She paused. "... hopefully." Pikachu tensed up, but slowly walked over to the door. The pokemon stood several steps back, and began to charge himself. With a 'Pika...CHU!', the electric rodent shot out a thunderbolt that slammed through the barrier and into the door. The door was incinerated.

"Uh... Good job, little guy." Noire patted the Pikachu's head. Pikachu looked at Severa with a hint of smugness. Severa stuck her tongue out at him, and peered through the door. Samus groaned, shaking herself back into consciousness. As she entered the door, she saw a man with snow white hair, his face hidden by a large white beard. He looked like a wizened old man, until you got up close. Hidden behind the beard was the face of a young man. He was shackled to the wall, and looked like he had been beaten and unfed. Panne held Severa back, as Gaius carefully inched towards him.

"Bubbles?" He inquired quietly. "Is that you? Are you … alive?" The white haired man stirred.

"Gaius?" His voice was quiet, weak. He managed to smile. "It took you long enough." He tried to look around, but he passed out from the attempt. Gaius looked around.

"Panne, grab Samus. You and Pikachu will meet Falco at the Rendezvous point. Severa, clear a path with Noire for Bubbles and I to get through to Cordelia." Severa opened her mouth to protest, but realized it was a futile gesture. She nodded, touching her father's shoulder.

"We're going to save you, dad." She had fire in her eyes. "Just watch."

* * *

Samus limped out of the castle with both Panne and Pikachu, and almost as if it was karma itself, almost got hit by several blaster shots from Falco. _At least it cleared the area for a minute._ She thought to herself. She activated her Paralyzer, and shot up one bolt into the air.

"I hope they could see that with all the flames." Panne pondered aloud. Samus grunted. She hadn't thought about that.

"All we can do is wait." Samus muttered. By that time, the others had joined them. Robin was semi-conscious, but seemed to already be observing the battle.

"I hope we have an escape plan, Panne." Robin managed to say. Panne looked at him.

"Your spawn has made quite a good plan." She said confidently. "It just requires us to give a signal into the sky." Robin smiled.

"That's Morgan for you." He tried to smile, but instead groaned. "Who else is here?" Gaius laid him down carefully.

"There's me, Speedster, Ponytail, Pigtails, Sunshine Jr., and Cheeks, Bubbles." Gaius counted them off on his fingers. Robin rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"I don't know nicknames, Gaius, I need names and abilities." Robin looked at Samus pleadingly. She blinked.

"I'm Samus, you already met Gaius and Panne." She pointed to Pikachu. "He's Pikachu, and Severa and Noire are covering us." Robin's eyes lit up.

"Severa's here?!" He shouted, then began coughing and heaving.

"Careful, Bubbles." Gaius looked concerned. "I don't know what they did to you, but it wasn't something you can just walk off." Robin grabbed Gaius's sleeve. He pointed to a small guard tower to the south of them.

"Is that the rendezvous point?" He growled. Gaius shook his head. "How much of this plan has gone wrong?"

"Almost all of it, Robin." Panne spoke. "Why?"

"I don't want to insult Morgan when I change plans." His voice was still gravelly. "But we're improvising now. If we clear out that tower, we'll have a safe place for everyone to land. And it's easily defensible for a short time." Gaius frowned.

"Bubbles, that's good for most of us. But we have a" He looked at Samus. "small problem."

"What's that, Gaius?"

The Arwing flew low above them, Falco trying to get a response from Samus. Robin looked up at the sky, dumbfounded.

"That." Gaius pointed. "Is bigger than the tower." Robin didn't respond, he just sat there, stunned. He felt something small tug on his sleeve. Pikachu was motioning to the tower.

"Right. You." He looked at Pikachu. "Get Severa and Noire. The rest of us will meet you there." He attempted to get up, and Gaius had to lift him. Pikachu raced off towards the battling youngsters. Samus pushed herself up. "Are you alright? From what I can tell, you took a curse head on. I'm surprised you're standing." Samus looked at the Tactician.

"I've had worse. Just had to shake it off." She said non-chalantly. Truth be told, it hurt badly, but there was no place for that right now.

* * *

The tower was already mostly clear. What was left of the army had clearly either fled, or was being held up by Falco. Panne, Gaius and Samus took care of the lingering soldiers quickly. As Severa and Noire reached the top of the tower, Pikachu reached Robin, who was sat against a wall. He seemed much more alert, discussing options with the others. Samus might not have noticed the three come in if it wasn't for-

"WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?!"

"I missed you too, Severa." Robin smiled brightly.

Severa was holding back tears. "I THOUGHT YOU WEREN'T GOING TO LEAVE US!" She shouted. She ran to the tactician and, after thinking better of it, gently hugged him, sobs wracking her body.

"I missed you so much. I'm so sorry about leaving you, my dear." Robin put his arms around his daughter.

"And mom's worried sick, and Morgan couldn't sleep this whole week." She managed to still berate him despite her crying.

"I'll make sure to make it up to all of you." He reassured her. Samus felt bittersweet. Her parents were also taken from her, but she never got that happy ending. Well, not quite happy yet.

"I-I don't want to interrupt, but" Noire paused. "We still need to get off of this island."

Severa pulled herself away from Robin. "What do we have left? Our signal is getting lost through the flames of the castle!" Robin closed his eyes.

"Show me the signal." He said calmly. Samus pulled out her Paralyzer and shot it up in the air again. Robin stared at it, then closed his eyes.

"If I had a Bolganone or Thoron, this would be much easier." Robin sighed. "I'm going to need 5 panes of glass, a match, and 40 candles..."

Panne looked at Pikachu. "Or we could have our little electric friend help." Pikachu nodded enthusiastically. Robin looked at Gaius and Samus.

"That's pertinent information, you two." He sounded irritated. He looked at the rodent. "Can you shoot a bolt of lightning into the air." Pikachu responded by launching a Thunder attack into the air. The clouds took in the lightning and spread it throughout, creating a tree of light for a brief moment. For an instance, Carrion Isle had gone from midnight to midday.

* * *

The bright light that emanated from Carrion Isle was almost blinding, even at the Shepherd's camp. Almost immediately, Cordelia flew out over the open ocean. Morgan and Sumia scrambled to the stables to get their pegasi, as Cynthia flew off in pursuit. Morgan tried her best to hide her emotions, she even thought she did a better job than her mother, but her heart kept fluttering. She felt Sumia's presence.

"Your Majesty, are you nervous?" Sumia was taken aback, but pondered the question.

"Of course, Morgan, but I can't let that stop me." She answered. "If I did that, I'd have never married Chrom, or gone to war, or even become a pegasus knight!" She looked at the tactician. "Fear is normal, but we have to face it, or else we're just dooming ourselves to the inevitable." Morgan looked at the queen.

"That was … surprisingly deep." She said without thinking. Sumia winked.

"I can be if I try, you know." She took off out into the night sky. Morgan hopped onto her pegasi, and encouraged it out into the skies.

* * *

"Yo! That tower is way to narrow, you're gonna have to bring people down to me!"

Samus looked over the wall. Falco had landed his Arwing a good 40 feet away from the tower. He was currently shooting from the cockpit of the ship. Robin also looked over.

"Pikachu, protect me while I get Robin on the ship." Samus hopped up, and pulled Robin over her back. Pikachu looked concerned.

"You just got cursed, Ponytail, shouldn't you be resting?" Gaius asked. Samus looked over at him and grinned.

"You don't get as good as I am without a lot of bumps and bruises, Banana Split." She made her way down the tower, Robin in tow.

As she reached the bottom of the tower, she could see Falco covering the area with his blaster. Pikachu hid himself behind a corner, and starting zapping away. Samus tried to run, and stumbled a bit. Cursing to herself, she managed to keep her balance. As she reached the Arwing, Falco helped Robin into the cockpit. He kept mumbling to himself about 'Cordy can get me, I don't need help...'

"Like hell you don't, man." Falco muttered back. Samus motioned to Pikachu.

"Go with them." She commanded the Pokemon. Pikachu made a retching motion, but hopped into the cockpit anyway.

"Try hurling in my ship." Falco threatened. "See what that gets you."

Samus made her way back into the tower slowly, as she heard the Arwing take off. As she crawled up the stairs, she could hear whinnying. At the top of the stairs sat four pegasus and a wyvern. Noire and Severa were already sat upon Cynthia and Cordelia's pegasi, respectfully. Gaius was talking to the woman on the dragon, Samus assumed that was Cherche. Gaius hopped on, and looked at Samus.

"Get on with the queen!" He shouted over the wingflaps. She saw the queen closeby, and saw Panne on the pegasi that Morgan was riding. Samus slowly moved over to Sumia, who helped her onto the winged horse.

"So, have you ever ridden a horse?" Sumia asked. Samus shook her head. "Well, it's like that."

As the pegusus knights and wyvern rider took off, Samus looked down onto the ground.

"Alright, this is pretty damn cool."

* * *

Samus landed, and was met by a hug from Zelda. Tharja and Henry were also there.

"We heard you were cursed! I was so worr-" Zelda paused. Samus laughed and hugged her back.

"I get it, your Majesty." She smiled. "I'm fine."

"If by 'fine', you mean 'should have been dead on contact', than yes, you are 'fine'." Tharja interjected sardonically.

Henry touched Samus's shoulder. "Woo-WEE! That's a mother of a curse!" Tharja grabbed Samus's arm. "Don't worry, though, we'll get it all sorted out!" Samus protested, but she was suddenly much weaker than she thought. The two dark mages took Samus into Tharja's tent, leaving Zelda alone. She decided to go to the medical tent. That's where all the commotion was.

"Everyone back off! Only immediate family and medical staff can see Robin right now!" Lissa shouted at the other Shepherd's. Chrom crossed his arms.

"Not even his best friends?"

"Especially not you, Chrom! I know how you two greet each other." Lissa glared at her older brother. "You'd break his arm right now!" She clapped her hands. "Now DISPERSE!" The Shepherds reluctantly walked to different sections of the camp, grumbling to themselves. Zelda stayed behind, and sat on a stump that was conveniently there. She could hear people shouting through the tent flaps. She cautiously made her way to the tent. Cordelia and her two children were looking over Robin's bed, looking very concerned. Lissa, Maribelle, and another healer by the name of Libra were fussing over their patient, while Robin kept insisting that he was fine. She smiled. It was nice to see a happy turn of events.

* * *

Robin lay in bed as Lissa and Maribelle prodded him and poked him. He looked at his wife, who was failing to hold back her tears of joy. He smiled, touching her crimson hair.

"Missed you."

* * *

 _ **Thank you all for reading! As always, reviews are so appreciated! I'll answer any questions at the end of the next chapter. Next chapter, we finally end the Rescue Robin Storyline and begin the Marketable Presence Storyline!**_

 ** _Coming Soon: Chapter 7: Lofty Expectations_**


	7. Lofty Expectations

**Chapter 7: Lofty Expectations**

"No thanks."

Robin shot another fireball at Zelda. The princess deflected the shot with ease, shooting off fire of her own. Robin dodged the attack. Zelda had insisted in sparring Robin when he was ready. It had been four days, but Robin was adamant that he was fully healed, despite Lissa's pleas and Maribelle's admonishment.

"The idea doesn't even intrigue you?" Zelda inquired. She had spent two days trying to convince Robin to accept the invitation to the Smash Tournament. Robin had been … less than eager to join. She threw another fireball, with a little more vigor.

Robin dodged, grunting from exerting himself. "Honestly, it does. But my family is much more important to me." He flung out an Arcwind, lifting Zelda up into the air. "I just got back to them, I don't think I could handle-" He jumped over a lightning attack from the princess. "- being away from them any longer." Zelda took a swing with her leg.

"You can't handle it?" She kept prying, hoping to get a reaction. "Or they can't handle it?" Zelda didn't even notice Robin closing in and tripping her. She let out a squeak as she hit the ground. Robin offered out his hand to help her up. She graciously took it.

"You shouldn't underestimate my family." He turned towards the barracks. "They could handle me being gone, but me being without them?" Robin looked directly into Zelda's eyes. "Not exactly something I enjoy doing." As he went over the hill, Zelda frowned and stomped her foot to the ground in frustration. What a vexing man.

* * *

"Hello, Falco! How are you-a doing?"

"Yo, Luigi, it's going alright." Falco waved lazily at the green-clad man on the other side. He panned his communicator over to Lucina. He had agreed to show Lucina the basics to technology. "Meet our newest smasher!" Lucina waved, unsure of herself.

"Ah! Hello there! What's-a your name?" Luigi waved back enthusiastically.

"Um, it's Lucina, sir." She attempted to bow to the camera. "It's truly a pleasure."

"No need to be-a so formal, Lucina!" Luigi's lilt accentuated his cheerful demeanor. "I'm no 'sir'!" Lucina looked at Falco.

"Luigi's used to being 'Luigi'." Was all Falco said. Lucina seemed to relax. She turned back to the communicator.

"Well, Luigi, it is a pleasure to meet you." She smiled. "I have so many questions about this tournament."

"Well-a, for starters, I sent Falco four communicators, two for you, and two for your friend." Luigi made a glance at Falco.

"To the Arwing?" Falco asked. Luigi nodded. The pilot sighed. "I'll go check it out." As he got up, he could hear Lucina begin to pepper Luigi with multiple questions. _Well, she's got the right attitude for the tournament._ He thought. _Hopefully Samus and Zelda are having similar luck with Robin._

* * *

"Robin, I don't want this to sound like a threat..."

"Could've fooled me, Samus."

"I'm being serious. Master Hand isn't used to …" The bounty hunter paused, looking at Zelda. The princess was engrossed in a book about Hylian history. Typical. "... being denied someone it wants." She looked back at Robin. "You have every right to say no, but all we can do is try to convince him that it's not a bad thing."

Robin frowned. "It's simple. I just came back." He stood up sharply. "From the dead, might I add, so I could be with my friends and family." He paced around the room. "And now some of the people that helped me want me to participate in a tournament-" He looked at Samus. "- and be away from said friends and family even more?"

"Well, when you put it that way, it sounds pretty bad." Samus muttered. Why wasn't Zelda helping? Even Robin had noticed, and looked slightly perturbed. As he walked around to take a peek, Samus noticed Zelda pale slightly, slamming the book shut. Robin didn't look much better. He coughed quickly.

"I hate to cut this meeting short, but I promised to take my family out to town tonight." Robin stumbled stiffly. He rushed a bow, and hurried out. Zelda was staring at the cover of her book, still pale and now breathing heavily.

"What is wrong with both of you?" Samus hissed. "Everyone looks like they've seen a ghost!" Zelda looked up and opened the book back to the page she was on.

"Remember the symbol on Robin's door?" She whispered. Samus nodded. "Good, because I just found it." She flipped around the book. There was a frightening looking mask with yellow eyes piercing through the page. Samus felt her stomach drop. Why was that in a Hylian textbook? Zelda read Samus's reaction. "It's called Majora's Mask, and I have a bad feeling."

"A bad feeling."

"I don't think Robin's imprisonment was an accident. Nor was our involvement a happy coincidence." She was shaking now.

* * *

Robin was breathing heavily as he stopped. He must have gotten enough distance from them. That symbol was used to seal his cell door. It couldn't have just been an accident that Zelda just happened to have that book.

"I have to get to the bottom of this." He muttered.

"Talking to yourself really makes you endearing, you know." came a voice giggling from behind him. He spun around to find Cordelia, wearing a turquoise sundress, looking absolutely stunning. He was speechless. Cordelia walked towards him slowly. "What?" she teased. "The great Robin is speechless? What a turn of events." She gave him a small kiss on the cheek. Robin returned the kiss twofold, and held her for a moment far to short for his tastes.

"You look beautiful." He whispered in her ear. She smiled and blushed.

"I figured we could take the children out to dinner, and then, we could finish our date-" She leaned in and whispered into Robin's ear.

"Why couldn't you do that in private, you two?" Falco came from the hilltop, Severa and Morgan close behind. Robin shot Cordelia a quizzical look.

"He said he had something to give you." She said. "But Severa and Morgan insisted that they see it first."

Falco placed small devices in both Robin and Cordelia's hands. "These are video communicators. Good for long distance communication." Robin began to protest, but Falco put his wing up. "I know, you haven't accepted the invitation yet. I don't care. Consider it a gift, because technically, you shouldn't have one even if you accepted." He paused. "Severa got the receiver to Lucina's, anyways, so she can show you the basics. I know you guys have a night ahead of you." As he turned to leave, Robin cleared his throat.

"Thank you, Falco. May I ask you one question?"

"Shoot."

"Do you trust Zelda and Samus?"

Falco seemed taken aback by the question. "Samus is a bit … rough." He said sheepishly. "But both of them are trustworthy. At least, they've never done anything unseemly." He shrugged. Robin gave a small bow, and Falco walked back over the hill. Robin looked back at his smiling wife, and took her hand. Next stop: town square.

* * *

"Two whole months away from you guys? I don't think I'd really be okay with that." Robin began, when Cordelia interrupted him.

"But you just said that you think that princess was the one who captured you and tortured you!" She was shaking with anger.

"But I don't know that, and she seems like a saint." He admitted. The theory was ridiculous, but it was too good to be a coincidence. "What if it's just weird luck?"

"All the more reason to go and discover it yourself." Cordelia was firm. "I'll miss you terribly, but..." She looked at her children. "... I'd rather you do this for two months than live in fear that you or I or … any of our children are in danger." Robin scoffs.

"I'm a dad, I'll always worry." He laughed.

"But it wouldn't be so present." She countered. Robin was silent, he knew Cordelia was right. But judging by her shaking, she clearly didn't want to believe herself either. Severa chose to interrupt.

"And with these doo-hickeys, it's not like we'll be completely cut off!" Her cheerful demeanor was clearly forced, hiding her emotional turmoil. "And Falco says that families can visit often enough!" Morgan cleared her throat.

"Lucina will need someone to watch over her, too." She stated. Robin mentally cursed. Lucina was mature, but sometimes, she got carried away, much like her father and mother. He sighed.

"If I accept this." He looked at his family. "You must promise to visit me often, and call me twice as often as that. I can't accept any other terms." He smiled as Cordelia leaned across the table and gave him a kiss on the lips.

"I think we can arrange that."

* * *

The next morning came with hustle and bustle. Samus had called in her gunship, and the sight of another, larger craft had once again set the town a-titter. Falco hadn't let Samus forget her earlier words, either.

"How irresponsible, Aran."

"Bite me, Lombardi."

"No concerns about the timeline integrity, Pikachu. Write up two demerits for Ms. Aran here." Pikachu nodded in an over-offical way. Samus shot the pokemon a look, then, sighing out of exasperation, entered her gunship. As she stood in the doorway, she looked at Robin and Lucina.

"You two ready to head out?" She asked the two. Lucina had just finished hugging her friends and had moved on to her family. Cynthia and Sumia had given her a big hug, and Chrom, not to be outdone, gave her a true bear hug. Lucina stumbled into the gunship. As Zelda entered, she turned to Samus.

"I'm surprised he chose to come."

"Honestly, I'm just as surprised as you are." Zelda nodded. As she started towards the front, Samus called back. "Make sure Lucina is properly buckled in!" As she looked back down, she saw Robin and Cordelia talking to each other. Cordelia suddenly grabbed the tactician and pulled him into a deep kiss, much to the Shepherd's cheers and Severa's embarrassment. She turned to Falco, who was cheering as well.

"Falco, can you and Pikachu make sure the portal is still functional?" Falco turned around and lazily saluted before heading to his Arwing. As Robin walked up the ramp to the ship, Samus couldn't help herself.

"Ready to get going, loverboy? Or should we wait until later?" Robin looked sunburned with how bad he was blushing. "I'm kidding, get inside. We're going to go over safety procedure in a minute." As Robin hustled in, Samus took one last look at the Shepherds. She gave a thumbs up to the group. "I'll take care of them for you guys!" She called out confidently. The resulting cheer and farewell put a smile on the bounty hunter's face. _Nice people. Hopefully we visit them often._

* * *

Robin was a worldly man, he knew that much. He had experienced a lot more than the average person would in their lifetime. But sitting in a large ship flying through the air at high speeds had never ventured into the realm of possibility. As he looked at Lucina, he noticed that he seemed to be the only one nervous. Lucina was laughing and smiling, almost as much as when they had finally defeated Grima. _To be fair, I was too busy dying to really get a good look at people._ He mused.

"Hey, Bubbles!" Samus yelled over her shoulder. Robin cringed. Samus had actually liked Gaius's nickname for him, and promised to use it when she thought it was appropriate. Gaius appreciated that. Robin didn't. "You wanted to see a spaceship portal." She motioned towards her right. "Well, there you go!" They were approaching a dark blue portal that was sat in the ocean. Robin could see another small craft approach the portal and fly through. They didn't come out the other side.

"Falco just cleared through portal 5, we're activating portal 2." Robin heard through the radio. Zelda, in the co-pilot's chair, touched her earpiece.

"Roger, Lucario." She replied. In his head, Robin imagined what this Lucario looked like. Maybe a tall armored warrior with a large axe? A spellcaster, lithe and fast on his feet? A large bump shook him from his thoughts. Lucina now looked concerned.

"Relax, just a little turbulence." Samus reassured them. "Happens all the time. Gotta get used to it." As they entered the portal, flashes of light peeked through the jelly-like substance of the portal. Samus touched several dials, and the ship seemed to slow down, though speed was relative with the non-motion of the portal. As they exited the portal, the ship made a comfortable stop in, well, Robin couldn't say. He stared, slack-jawed, at what looked to be several stories of various vehicles, both living and non-living. Hundreds of faceless creatures were doing what looked like inventory in the area. As he exited, he heard Lucina's gasp of disbelief. Robin looked around, and saw Falco. He and Pikachu were conversing with what looked to be a fox standing on hind legs. He also noticed another man, with a blue jumpsuit and red helmet, approach them. He waved at Samus frantically, Samus responding half-heartedly.

"Sammy! Don't tell you've broken the new guys already?!" To call the man bombastic was an understatement. He oozed confidence and friendliness. The new man threw out his hand to Robin. "Name's Captain Falcon, man! Pleased to meetcha!" Robin shook his hand, and felt his nearly break. The man's strength was inhuman! Falcon paused when he saw Lucina. "Sammy!" He sounded upset. "Who is this magnificent woman?" Samus passed by Captain Falcon, beckoning the others with her.

"Out of your league is what she is, _Douglas_." She said mockingly. Captain Falcon laughed, but didn't attempt to follow.

"What a pleasant man." Lucina said sarcastically. She blew a stray hair from her face.

"Oh, Cap is fine, once he gets used to you." Zelda said, waving off Samus's snort of derision. "He really only cares about _Sammy_ anyways." she stuck her tongue out at the bounty hunter. The group reached Falco and his friend. The pilot turned around and smiled.

"Ah, here they are. Lucina, Robin, I'd like you to meet Fox McCloud." The fox smiled and bowed. Lucina and Robin returned the motion. "He's the team leader for Starfox, even _if_ he's only the second best pilot on the team..." Fox playfully punched Falco on the arm. "Samus, Zelda, and I have to report back, but Fox is going to help you guys get used to the mansion and how things work around here while I go do his job better than him!" He ran off quickly before Fox could get out a comeback. Samus and Zelda excused themselves as well, leaving the two newbies alone.

"I'll remember that when I save your butt again!" Fox managed to blurt out. "Man, how did you deal with that guy?" He asked Lucina and Robin. They looked at each other and shrugged. There was a slightly awkward silence, before Fox broke it. "Okay... Well, let's show you around, no use staying here!" He turned around, and started heading towards a strange building in the middle of the hangar. Lucina followed immediately, but Robin paused. He felt as if someone was watching him... As he turned around, he caught a glimpse of something hiding behind one of the smaller ships. He didn't get a good look, but it looked like … an angel? He shook his head. That flight messed him up worse than he thought. He heard Lucina call out his name, and he ran to her.

* * *

"Mind the gap!" The voice appeared from nowhere, startling both Lucina and Robin.

"Don't worry about it," Fox tried not to laugh. "It's just a recorded message."

"Gods, that frightened me." Lucina took a deep breath. She looked at the compartment they were in. All three of them had taken seats across from the automatic doors. _More witchcraft._ Lucina groaned. The rest of the compartment was filled with more faceless people and what looked like several … mushrooms?

"Ah, Ganondorf!" Lucina looked up at the sound of Fox's startled voice. Another person had entered the tram. He was large man, and his dark skin only accented his bright red hair. He cast a large shadow, and not a normal shadow. It felt sinister, like the Robin they had met in Plegia. The one who turned into Grima. She noticed that Robin had broken into a cold sweat. The man seemed to loom over them … then calmly took a seat next to Fox.

"Good afternoon, Captain McCloud." His voice was deep and slightly gravelly. "I apologize for my demeanor, I just received news that horse is sick, I've been rather-" He finally noticed Robin and Lucina. "- And who are these people I have the honor of meeting?" Fox stuttered.

"R-right! Robin, Lucina, this is Ganondorf! He-he's a vet around these parts." Ganondorf bowed to Lucina and Robin, who quickly returned the favor.

"Now, Fox, don't sell yourself short." Ganondorf chuckled. "You've won the most tournaments out of any of us!" He clapped his hand onto Fox's shoulder. "And I have no doubt you'll pull through again!" The tram called out for the "Stables". Ganondorf stood up. "This is my stop. It was a pleasure to meet you two. We'll see a lot of each other in the future." As he left, all three of them let out huge sighs of relief. Fox was the first to speak.

"Man, that guy can be really scary." He was laughing, he was so nervous. "Ganondorf isn't someone you really want to mess with, guys." The other two nodded. There was no way they were getting near that man voluntarily.

* * *

After several minutes, they had finally reached their destination. Lucina was the first to spot it.

"Robin! Look!" She almost shrieked. "It looks like home!" Robin had to agree. Smash Mansion was a misnomer. The castle was as large as Ylisse's, even though the city was definitely more impressive. Huge glass skyscrapers surrounded the area, as well as a large park. The tram entered the center of the city, and as the train emptied, Fox took the lead out of the station.

"Oh my gods. Robin! They have sweet shops! And clothing stores! And ..." Lucina kept pointing out every new thing she saw. Robin was more speechless than anything. A place like this wasn't even in fairy tales. This was otherworldly.

"Lucina, you'll get time to shop later!" Fox called out. "Stick with me! You don't want to get lost!"

* * *

After what felt like hours of sightseeing the city, and getting food recommendations from Fox, the group finally reached the Mansion. Just past the front doors sat a young woman with red hair. In fact, Lucina could have sworn she looked just like...

"Anna?!" Robin cried out incredulously. The woman squealed and gave Robin a big hug, and then focused her attention onto Lucina. Lucina could barely move as the Secret Seller squeezed the life out of her.

"ROBIN AND LUCINA!" Anna cried out. "I am sooo glad to see you two! What are you doing-" she hit her forehead. "-silly me! We're registering you guys for the tournament!" She pulled out a clipboard. "Lucky for you I already took care of most of it, you just need to look it over!" She handed over the clipboard to Lucina, and grabbed another from the registration table. She looked at Fox. "Showing them everything?" She asked. Fox nodded.

"I wouldn't be a good host if I didn't!" Fox smiled. Lucina handed back the clipboard.

"Everything seems to be in order, Anna." She stated. "Though nicknames seem strange."

"Whatever, as long as it's not Bubbles." Robin declared dryly.

"Don't you worry, you two. I'm also your PR and image consultant, so you'll see a lot of me!" Anna winked. "But I still have 5 people left to register, so shoo!" She swung her clipboard at Robin. "Shoo!" Robin, Lucina, and Fox ran off into the foyer.

"Image consultant?" Robin muttered.

"Well, yeah. We have interviews, and represent our worlds." Fox said nonchalantly. "It's a nice thing to have. And Anna's pretty capable." Lucina froze.

"Interviews?" Lucina sounded hushed.

"Yeah? I mean, we all have to do it. They throw some easy questions out, and we answer." Fox turned to Lucina.

"Interviews." She looked frightened. Robin looked at Lucina, concerned.

"Lucina, you've convinced entire armies to fight an impossible war. I don't think this will be as hard." He said calmly. Lucina looked at Robin.

"It's much different, Robin! I've never talked about me!" She started stuttering. "W-what if they don't l-like me?! What if I come across as an i-idiot?!"

"That goes away pretty quickly. Don't worry, we're all here to help." Another voice from behind reassured Lucina. The group spun around. Two blue haired swordsmen and a man clad in green stood behind them. The middle man bowed to the group. "I am Marth, it's a pleasure to make your aquaintance."

Lucina stood for a second in shock. She slowly looked at Robin, and let out a scream of pure joy.

"Yep, you're definitely Sumia's daughter and Cynthia's sister." Robin groaned as Lucina began badgering her descendant while Fox rolled on the ground laughing.

* * *

"Dark Pit, reporting."

"Go ahead, Fairy Two"

"Seriously?"

"Yes, only code names, Fairy Two."

"Alright, Waddles the Wide."

"THAT'S NOT MY CODE NAME"

"I'm reporting in contact with Robin." Dark Pit sat in the hangar. He'd been in Smash mansion for three days, and he'd already been roped into doing stuff for the "Guild of Nefarity." or whatever. "Guy's got a nasty aura, but he looks like a goody-two-shoes."

"Well, it's a start." Growled a new voice. Obviously Bowser. "As long as Ganondorf isn't trying to get to him."

"Well, that too." Dark Pit said, wincing.

"What." Bowser's voice was low.

"Ganondorf already met him in the tram."

Dedede spluttered. "Unacceptable! We need to get him first, before those sissy do-gooders and that crazy madman do! The Guild needs a man with his talents!"

Dark Pit sighed. While he preferred their company to others, the most evil thing these guys did was drink milk from the carton. Anyways, with that other girl and the Zelda brigade and Starfox with him, he wasn't gonna be an easy one to get to.

"He better be worth it, and we better make his time worthwhile." Dark Pit said grumpily, and hung up.

* * *

 _ **Time to meet other Smashers! Next up: Chapter 8: Practice for the Presser!**_


	8. Practice for the Presser

**_A big thanks to everyone who has read this story so far! I really appreciate it. With no further ado, here is chapter 8._**

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Practice for the Presser**

"It's truly a pleasure to be here, I'm really hoping to leave a good impr-" Lucina crumpled up another sheet of paper, tossing it at the trash can in her room. They had just moved in the previous night, but the press conference was only four days away. Lucina could rally thousands of soldiers with ease, but she never had to talk about herself. "No no no no NO!" She shouted. Lucina put her head in her hands, gripped with frustration. She heard a soft knock on her door. She sighed. "Come in." She called out. She saw Robin peek his head into the room.

"I was going to head out with Fox and Samus to the downtown district. I was thinking it would be fun." He looked at Lucina, concern etched in his face. Lucina shook her head.

"I thank you, Robin," She began. "but I must decline. This interview is the first time people will see me as I am."

"A lot of people have already seen that." Robin mentioned. "And they were people who you care about."

Lucina frowned. "And that's why I can't screw this up. I've got to make a good impression!" She was about to tear off another piece of paper from the notepad that the staff had provided for her. Robin placed his hand on the desk.

"Lucina." His voice was soft. "If you really want help with this, may I suggest meeting the others and discussing this?" Lucina looked up at Robin. "You surely cannot be the only one with issues like this." Lucina looked deflated.

"Alright, it seems like I'm getting nowhere with this anyways." she admitted. As soon as she said that, Samus, Zelda, and another blonde burst into the room.

"Excellent work, Robin!" The new girl said. "Your diplomacy skills weren't made up in the report after all!"

Robin winced. "I … aim to please?" He wasn't sure what was happening as Samus ushered him towards the door. "Were you all waiting outside for that?!" Samus slammed the door in Robin's face. She turned around to face the confused Lucina.

"Girl, get out of that armor! It's time for you to get aquinted with some modern clothes!" The bounty hunter announced.

* * *

Robin walked down the stairs into the main atrium, where Fox was waiting for him. Fox was conversing with four other smashers. Robin recognized Falco and Marth, but was unfamiliar with the other two. Falco and Fox were wearing their standard flight jacket, whereas Robin had chosen some more … modern clothing to fit in with the crowd. He was wearing a white button up with black jeans and purple sneakers. _Nice touch, Anna._ He thought to himself. He had also brought his robe to wear over it, in case it was cold. Apparently the 'climatron' attempted to give people a variety of weather patterns, and it was now the winter. As he looked, Robin breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't the only one to wear something other than standard fare. Marth was wearing a blue turtleneck with white slacks and white shoes. The other two, that he hadn't met yet, seemed similarly dressed. One looked reminiscent of a Manakete. She had pointed ears, snow-white hair, and scarlet eyes. She had chosen to wear a white long-sleeve shirt and blue jeans. The most surprising thing was her footwear, or rather … her lack of it. While the rest of her was prepared for the cold, she wore no shoes. Robin didn't want to be rude, though. _She probably would have noticed by now if she wanted to wear shoes …_ Robin thought. The last person was … well, small. Robin couldn't tell if it was a boy or girl. It looked like a blue blob, and was wearing a long cape and mask, which was covering yellow eyes. As he was observing the group, he thought he saw the blob glance at him. _Uh-oh._ Robin thought. _Better head over there._ He had barely taken a step before he heard a deep voice from behind him.

"Spying is considered very rude, you know." Robin whipped his head around to see the blue blob standing behind him.

"F-f-f-f-fast." Robin could barely speak.

"Yes. Me fast." The blob rolled it's eyes. "My name is Metaknight, and I assume that you're Robin." Robin nodded lamely. "Good, it truly is a pleasure." He put out his hand in greeting. Robin took it cautiously. "Now come, it's more fun to wait for the princesses with good company." Metaknight led the tactician to the group. Fox was the first to see Robin advancing towards them.

"Mornin' Robin!" The pilot gave Robin a hearty wave. "Glad that you decided to join us!" Falco gave Robin a pat on the back, almost knocking him over.

"Yeah, man! We're excited to show you what this city has to offer!" Robin grinned. This was no different than being with the Shepherds. It … felt nice.

Marth cleared his throat. "Well, we're still waiting on the princesses to join us, so we should introduce ourselves." He bowed to the tactician. "We've already met, but it's still a pleasure, Robin."

"It truly is, your excellenc-" He was cut off by a sharp bark from Fox.

" _Your Excellency."_ Fox curtseyed for dramatic effect. "Man, we're all smashers here. All of us are equal! No need to be so formal!" Marth grinned.

"Just call me Marth." He paused. "And make sure Lucina knows that as well." Robin winced. Lucina couldn't refrain from asking every question she had last night, and he had heard enough "Hero King Marth"'s to last him a lifetime.

"I'll make sure to remind her." He turned to the white haired woman, who had chosen to sit on the back of one of the sofas in the foyer. "And I don't think we've had the pleasure." Robin held out his hand. "I'm Robin." The girl gave the hand a firm shake.

"Nice to meet you!" She was bubbly. _Just like Morgan_. Robin thought. "My name's Corrin!"

"Corrin comes from the same world as yours, but from a different time, maybe even a different timeline ..." Fox scratched his head. "It's kinda confusing..."

"Don't worry, the trick to all that is to _avoid_ thinking about it." Robin joked. "I understand the idea."

"Yeah, I feel kinda bad, though." Corrin went from smiling to somber in a moment. "My two families were preparing to fight each other, and wanted me to take a side." She sniffed. "But how _could_ I?" Robin looked at Falco, who shrugged.

"I already told the kid not to sweat it, man." Falco sat down on the sofa. "If she needs to figure herself out, this is the optimal place to do it."

Corrin sighed. "I guess so, I just don't want to lose anyone." Robin put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, I've been there." He gave her a sympathetic smile. "It will become clear with time."

"Ha, I get it. Time-travel joke."

The group turned to the voice's origin. Samus was leading the princesses towards Fox and company.

"Well, not really, but I guess you could see it that way." Robin looked bemused. The ladies had all chosen more casual outfits, but Samus's was actually looser on her. She wore a blue hoodie and black pants, her hair tied up in a loose ponytail. Zelda was wearing a gold top with blue jeans, but also wore a pink pea-coat over it all. There was another blonde princess, who was wearing an absurd amount of pink. She looked at Metaknight and gave a delighted gasp.

"Meteepoo!" She hugged the little blob. "I didn't know you were coming with us! You never come!"

Metaknight groaned. "I thought meeting some new members would be good for me, Peach. Also, Marth twisted my proverbial arm, so I might as well have fun."

"The reason's whatever! I'm just glad you could make it!" She turned to Corrin and Robin. "Oh! I haven't met you two yet! I'm Princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom!"

"Robin, it's a pleasure!" Robin bowed. Corrin gave her standard firm handshake.

"Corrin, I'm really happy to meet you!"

"Robin, I think modernism has ruined me." Robin peered from behind Peach. Lucina stood, wearing a flowing white dress, covered up slightly by a navy cardigan.

"Well, you look good, so I don't think it has yet." Robin laughed as Lucina blushed.

"Well, I'm going to get a second opinion." Lucina muttered as she whipped out the communicator from her purse. The group could hear the communicator connecting to another source. After a few seconds, Severa appeared onscreen.

"Lucy! It's only been a day!" Severa tried her best to hide her happiness behind a veil of grouchiness. "I'm surprised you'd find the time to call someone like me."

"Hello, Severa." Lucina smiled. "I just thought I could say hi." She pointed the device towards Robin's face. "See? Robin's here as well!" Robin smiled at his daughter. Severa smiled for a moment, then looked at her father with a quizzical look.

"Dad, where's your robe? It's like I'm looking at a completely different person!"

"Well, I thought I could give it a shot, Sev." Robin gave Severa a sly grin. "I mean, I know you've been trying for awhile, but..."

"I'd show mom, if she was here." Severa pouted. "Then again, you two'd get all mushy and compliment each other until we all gagged." Lucina looked at Robin apologetically, turning the communicator back to herself. Robin looked at the others in the group. Falco raised his wings defensively.

"Hey man, she ain't wrong." Robin tried to glare, but broke the facade and gave a small chuckle.

"Severa, I wanted you to tell me how I looked." Lucina tried to whisper in the communicator.

"Well, Lucy, I can't really get a good look with your face blocking most of the picture." Lucina blushed, and pulled away. Severa was quiet for a few minutes. When she finally spoke up, Lucina closed her eyes, expecting the worst.

"Lucy, you look really pretty in a dress!" Severa breathed. "Why don't you ever wear them? We could be fashion sisters or something!"

"Y-you really think so?"

"Yes, gawds! Now you guys are clearly all going out somewhere, stop wasting their time!" Severa hung up immediately. Lucina looked up at the group. Everyone looked back with amusement in their expressions.

"Do you finally admit you look gorgeous?" Peach rolled her eyes as she tugged Lucina towards the entrance. "Good! Let's actually try to see some of the city!"

* * *

"Marth, I thought you said Ike and Link would be joining us today." Metaknight eyed the prince as the group entered the tram station.

"Ike wanted to train, apparently he's in the first smash match. Link volunteered to train with him." Marth leaned against a pillar. "If you ask me, those two train too much."

"Too much of a good thing can be detrimental." Metaknight's deep voice rumbled. "However, I'm more worried about Link."

"Link can handle himself." Marth shrugged. "I wouldn't waste breath worrying about him."

"You didn't see him last night." Marth looked down at Metaknight, concern etched in his face.

"Take the back coach." The Prince looked at the rest of the group. Thankfully, it was rather crowded. Marth began falling back into the crowd, just as the tram entered the station. Metaknight followed suit. Just as they felt clear, Marth saw Samus staring them down. He could see her angrily mouthing 'What are you doing?'. Marth shrugged, and entered the back coach. Both Metaknight and Marth sat in the corner, where they attempted to look non-chalant. "What about last night?" Marth whispered.

"Link had a vision." Metaknight spoke in hushed tones. "A grim revelation."

"The Hylians tend to, don't they?" Marth sighed. "What did he see?"

"Ganondorf, conquering lands close and far."

"Big surprise."

"And Grima, spreading decay and ruin close behind."

"... Huh. That's a surprise." Marth covered his mouth with his hand, deep in thought. "I'm assuming we're worrying about Robin, then?"

"It's the logical choice, though the man seems agreeable and genuine." Metaknight paused. "I would prefer we focus on Ganondorf and keeping Robin from him."

" _Agreed, I've been worried about this since I read his profile._ " A voice entered both swordsman's heads. Marth grabbed at his sword, but he had left it back at the mansion.

"Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?" Metaknight seemed unperturbed. "Ah, I know who this is. Zelda, correct?" It wasn't really a question.

" _Yes, and you two should know better, trying to keep silly secrets._ " Zelda scolded them telepathically. " _I would think you two better than that._ "

"Are you planning on telling the others about what you have heard here?" Marth said flatly.

" _Of course, everyone here is a friend. Maybe you should try … you know. Being open about things?"_ The presence of Zelda disappeared from their consciousness.

* * *

"What were they blabbing about?" Peach demanded from Zelda. Lucina noted that Zelda looked strained.

"Link had another nightmare." Zelda muttered. "Another doom prophecy." Samus let out a big groan.

"Dude, really? That man has one, like, every week." Samus rolled her eyes. "Why worry?"

"He saw Ganondorf with the Triforce, and he was accompanied by..." Zelda paused, looking at her compatriots. "... a large black dragon." Lucina let out an involuntary gasp, and Robin's face darkened.

"C'mon! Robin's a good guy! He'd never..." Samus was interrupted by Lucina.

"All we have to do is keep Robin away from this Ganondorf, right?" She said quietly. Zelda looked at the young princess.

"Well, yes, that would make it hard for Ganondorf to get to Robin..." Zelda shook her head. "... But it's conjecture at this point. Samus is right. Link's still getting over a lot." The princess thought back to the Twilight. "We'll just keep an eye on things. We should have fun today!" Lucina frowned, until she heard Robin from across the coach.

"Lucina, you need to see this!" She ran to the other side, where Robin was looking through the windows. Large metal buildings flew by them on all sides. Lucina could make out small people walking through the streets into shops on the street. She looked at Robin. He held an expression of wonder and joy.

"Aren't you worried about what they said?" She asked. Robin didn't look at her, but he could feel his whole being focus on his answer.

"No, if all I need to do is avoid conspicuously evil guy, I think I can do that." He gave Lucina a reassuring smile. "And anyways, Grima is gone. So the dream is already unlikely to occur." As he finished, the intercom blared instructions. They saw Peach get up with Zelda and the others. Lucina and Robin followed suit. As they exited, Marth and Metaknight met up with them. Samus glared at the two.

"Nice little trick, hiding in another coach." She sneered. "Next time, share your secrets with the class?" She walked off in a huff, the others following close behind.

"So what's the plan?" Fox had pulled out his communicator, setting a map of the area.

Peach checked her watch. "Well, it's almost lunchtime." She looked at Fox's map. "Waluigi's pizza place is just around the corner."

"Seconded!" Falco blurted out. "What? He makes a good pie."

Samus shoved her hands in her hoodie, the cold was getting to her fast. "I'm down, let's just get out of the cold." The rest of the group had barely even noticed the cold, but she was right, it had begun to snow.

"Well, it's just a block down from here, let's just take a right-" Fox pointed to his right. "-Down past one stoplight, then take another right, and it should be there." The group followed Fox's lead. As they reached the stoplight, Samus realized that the three newbies probably had no idea how the stoplight worked. As she turned around, she saw Robin talking to Corrin and Lucina.

"So, if I'm guessing correctly, red lights are a signal to stop, and green is to move forward." He then looked at the pedestrian signs. "That red hand looks like it's telling us to stop as well, so when it's our time to cross, I expect it to tell us."

"Not the trickiest stuff, but I'm impressed you figured most of it out." Samus smiled. Robin shrugged.

"I still don't know how the yellow lights work, but I'm getting there." Robin took a deep bow. Samus ruffled his hair.

"Yeah, yeah, don't let it get to your head." She smirked. As the group crossed the street, Lucina heard Corrin.

"Peach? Who _is_ Waluigi?" She put a finger to her chin. "Because I read about a Wario in the reports, but no Waluigi."

"Well," Peach began. "Waluigi is to Luigi as Wario is to Mario. Kinda bizarre mirror people." Corrin scratched her head in confusion. "What's important is that Wario and Waluigi are all about making money. But recently, Waluigi stopped trying to steal money, and invested in selling some delicious pizza! It's made him a lot easier to talk to as well." They made the right turn. One of the businesses had a giant purple W superimposed over a slice of pizza.

"I mean, you'll get to meet him soon enough."

* * *

"Wa-Ha-Ha!" The strange purple clad man twirled around the room in an angular fashion. "Peach-y! It's-a good to see you again!" Peach gave him an awkward hug, which he returned gleefully. "Did you want to be in the front or back room?"

"It's good to see you to, Waluigi." Peach smiled. "And sure, we'll take the front room. There's 10 of us." She added the last part before Waluigi could ask.

"A-bsolutely!" Waluigi almost shouted. "Follow me!" He walked in a gangly fashion to his left. Peach led the others through a small hallway that exited into a large room. The room was exquisitely decorated, with various pictures of Smashers, landscapes from several worlds, and some fine art. Waluigi picked a large circular table in the corner of the room. The group quickly took their seats. Waluigi handed out menus and gave the group a wide grin before bounding off to help other customers.

"He certainly didn't seem like a bad guy." Lucina remarked.

"Well, I didn't say he was good at it." Peach waved the comment away dismissively. "The point is that here in Smash City, everyone has a chance to be more than they were in their own communities. It's pretty impressive."

"Yeah, it's pretty cool." Falco drawled out. "You don't need to sell it to us, most of us know that."

Peach huffed. "I was explaining for the three newbies, or did you not notice them?" She pointed at Robin, Corrin, and Lucina. There was a harsh, awkward silence for what felt like an eternity. Metaknight cleared his throat and nudged Robin.

"Robin, have you delved into your menu yet?"

Robin looked at Metaknight, then the menu, then back to the diminutive swordsman. "Yeah, but some of the choices seem rather overwhelming. For instance, I have no clue what "Pesto" or "Pepperoni" is, and it does make it hard to choose." Corrin and Lucina nodded in agreement.

"Eh, Pesto's an aquired taste." Samus shrugged. "Not exactly my thing. But Pepperoni." Her eyes gleamed. "That is a gift from the gods."

Metaknight turned to Samus. "So what are you getting?" Peach giggled, earning a glare from the Knight.

"Simple, Pepp and Sausage. I'm a simple woman." Samus looked far too pleased with herself over a pizza choice.

"Carnivore, it's the most meat per square inch." Fox stated matter-of-factually. Falco nodded his head in agreement.

"It's science, man." He acted like he was putting on glasses and observing the table. "Pizza Science." Zelda hid her face in her menu. Samus glanced at the princess.

"What's up, Zel?" She asked. Zelda frowned, and continued to flip through.

"Well, I just don't know what to get this time." She scrunched her face in thought. "I always get some pasta, but I've always wanted to try a pizza here..."

"Then get a pizza."

"But their Fettuccine Alfredo is soooo good." Zelda pouted. "It's a crime to not get it!"

Peach rolled her eyes. "Well, put me in a cell, I'm getting some barbecue chicken pizza." She looked at Corrin. "How about you, Corrin? Anything catch your eye?"

Corrin closed one eye in thought. "Well, I think I'm going to go with the Carnivore." Fox and Falco high-fived each other. "You can't argue with pizza science!"

"Pizza SCIENCE!" The two pilots cheered in unison.

Robin pointed on the menu. "Taking a risk here with the pesto chicken, it sounds good." By this time, Waluigi had already made his rounds, and was back at their table.

"So, what would you-a like to order?" The thin purple waiter asked the table.

* * *

"Lucina, you're really overthinking this."

"I've always been able to talk to others when it's about them or a situation. But me? I don't talk about me." Lucina looked at her legs. "I don't want to come off as aloof or arrogant."

"I'm serious, just be yourself." Samus said pointedly. "The press will love you if you're you. They can detect a fake from a mile away."

Falco spoke up. "Take it from Samus, Lucina. Samus hasn't had a good interview yet, and the press still loves her." Samus glared at the pilot. "... I'm just saying, Sammy!"

Fox decided to intervene. "If it helps, we can each ask you a question? I mean, something the press would ask?"

Robin nodded. "It might be good for Corrin and I to hear this as well. I admit, it's tough to think of what to say if you don't know the questions."

"Yeah, and honestly-" Corrin looked at Lucina with a smile. "-I've been nervous as well." Peach clapped her hands together, startling the table and surrounding tables.

"Alright! Let's give it a try!" Peach pointed to Zelda. "Zelda, you ask first!" Zelda immediately protested.

"Why do I have to ask first?!" She almost hissed at Peach, for fear of further annoying the other diners.

"Because you always give such good interviews!" Peach batted her eyelashes in an exaggerated manner.

Zelda sighed. Ever since she gave her interview last year, everyone in the press talked about her amazing way with words. She didn't even mean to, she was just talking about home. Who could have guessed that it would be a good little speech? "Fine." She conceded. "Let's see …" Zelda looked at Lucina. " … Lucina, what do you think makes a good smasher?"

Lucina pondered the question for a minute. "I'm not sure. I think that someone who's accomplishments, for better or worse, are significant in their world, could be a smasher." The young swordswoman thought some more. "But in reality, a smasher is just a person willing to break the barriers between worlds to find new experiences."

"Zelda 2.0 over here!" Falco shouted out. "Kid, you're gonna be fine!" Metaknight held out his hand, silencing the bird.

"Lucina, what makes you think you're qualified to be a smasher?" The group looked at Metaknight, stunned.

Lucina shifted nervously. "Honestly, I don't really think I deserve it at all." She stuttered, attempting to backtrack. "I-I mean it's an honor, but..." She looked a little sad. "... I couldn't have made it this far without my friends, without a lot of people making terrible sacrifices for me to continue on." Lucina looked more determined. "And all I can do is fight for their sakes!"

* * *

The 'interview' lasted another 15 minutes, with each person asking a question for Lucina to answer. By the end, everyone agreed that the warrior princess was in a very good place. The group decided to look through several of the shops and department stores in the area. While it felt like no time at all, by the time the group had reconvened, it was already evening. As they entered the station, Metaknight gave Lucina a pat on the back.

"You will do well in the interview, Lady Lucina."

"Thank you, Metaknight." Lucina bowed. "It means a lot to me."

"May I ask why? You don't meet most fans, and those who matter already know you." The group was still talking amongst themselves as the train left the station.

Lucina blushed. "W-well, some of the people who matter don't really know me. Like, really _really_ know me." Metaknight looked as quizzical as he could behind his mask.

"Child, they aren't going to get very personal at all with the questions. I sincerely doubt they'll ask about anything of a romantic nature." Lucina 'shh'ed Metaknight.

"But what if I slip up? Or worse, look like an idiot in front of millions, including the person I-" Lucina stopped herself.

"Lucina, trust me, no one will think worse of you for a slip up or flub." Samus sat next to the Princess. Lucina blushed even more furiously. How much had Samus heard? "I mean, I usually just ignore the questions, and people still like me."

Metaknight scoffed. "That is a gross understatement, Ms. Aran. People adore you." Samus grinned.

"Like. Adore. It's basically the same thing." Samus waved off the compliment. "Just trust us, you'll do great." As she finished her sentence, the train had reached the mansion. As Lucina got off, she gave a smile to the two cheering her up.

"Thank you both. I truly appreciate it." She bowed to the two before making her way back to her room. Metaknight looked at Samus.

"You see yourself in her, don't you?" The small Star Warrior stared down the bounty hunter.

Samus grunted. "Of course I do, she's been through hell like I've been through hell." She took three steps up the stairs before turning around. Metaknight stayed at the bottom of the stairs. "But that kid, she doesn't blink at the abyss, she makes it back down. And whatever I can do you make her stronger, you can bet that I'm gonna do it." She turned around and bounded up the stairs.

Metaknight chuckled to himself. "It seems like this tournament will be interesting after all..."

* * *

 _Once again, thank you all for reading! Comments and reviews are always appreciated!_


	9. The Draft

**Chapter 9: The Draft**

* * *

Sulfur.

Lucina took a deep breath. Sulfur? How come she was smelling sulfur? She opened her eyes slowly. Grays and reds filled the sky, and smoke billowed out of the fallow ground. She stood upon the top of a hill overlooking a long destroyed war camp. In the distance, she could hear the roars of several wyverns. Lucina's breathing became shallow. She had been here before. She heard footfalls coming from behind. Turning slowly, she caught the glimpse of a purple cloak. Before she could call out, she felt a sharp pain in her side. Gasping in shock, Lucina pushed off in the direction, her hand catching the assailant's shoulder. She put her hand to her side, feeling a small dagger stuck in her sides. Lucina gritted her teeth, pulling it out. She turned to face her attacker, holding Falchion in one hand, the other hand still covering her wound. The swordswoman's face fell as she saw the identity of her attacker. The armor was darker, the scowl was more pronounced, but the maroon eyes, the white hair, the way she moved said hair from her forehead...

Severa stood in front of Lucina, sneering at the princess. Lucina started breathing faster and even more shallow.

"S-Severa?" She managed to get out. "Why?" Lucina began feeling dizzy. _Damn, blood loss_. She thought.

"Why do you think, Lucy?" Severa shouted, the sneer still planted on her face. "Did you think I'd just forget what you tried to do to _my_ dad?" She pulled her sword from her sheath. "When all he wanted was some help?!"

"Sev, I'm sorry!" Lucina tasted blood inbetween her words. "I was just trying to save-"

" _I'm just trying to save!"_ Severa said, mockingly. "How about you 'save' your breath?" Lucina could see tears in Severa's eyes. "I thought you were my friend." She swung at the princess. "My. Best. Friend!" Each word was emphasized by another swing. It look Lucina everything in her to just block the attacks. "What kind of friend tries to kill their friend's father?" Severa swung, but as Lucina blocked, she kicked out with her foot. The leg connected, and Lucina tumbled down the hill.

Lucina grimaced. The wound was getting worse, and, even though she was a great swordfighter, she didn't have a chance against Severa in these conditions. As she saw Severa leisurely walk down the hill towards her, she heard a sigh. Lucina looked to her left. As if materialized from the air itself, there stood Cordelia. The Pegasus Rider looked at Lucina, sadness etched in her eyes.

"L-lady Cordelia!" Lucina said, pleadingly. "I didn't mean for this to happen! I just wanted to save the world!"

Cordelia looked at Lucina with pity. "I understand, Lucina. But can you blame Severa for being angry?" Lucina felt tears coming from her eyes. "You tried to kill her father." She glared. "My husband, as well." Lucina was now openly weeping. "But I understand that the greater good needed my husband and my best friend dead." Cordelia said bitterly.

"Aunty..." Lucina blubbered through her sobs. "Please..." Cordelia leaned in, and as she moved closer, her face seemed to melt and morph. Lucina gaped in horror. Inches from her face stood Robin. He was sneering.

"You presume to address my wife as such, after the hell she's been through?" Robin spat out. "No, Lucina. You've _earned_ this." For a second, his skin seemed to glisten in the sun, like scales on a lizard. "You made me feel guilty. Made me sacrifice myself for the greater good." He began pacing in front on the now semi-conscious Lucina. " _I_ could've had time with my family! If you hadn't made me feel like I had one option!" Lucina was now cradling herself, sobs choking her. She felt a hand grab her chin, and struggled as Robin brought her to eye level. "But do you want to know the worst part?"

Lucina closed her eyes tightly. She didn't want to answer, but felt the words escape her lips. "What?" She sqeaked out. She slowly opened up her eyes, and shouted in despair. A giant dragon stood over her, flames escaping it's mouth.

" **Even after all that work, you still failed.** "

* * *

Lucina awoke with a scream. She felt the soft bed of the Smash Mansion, her silk nightgown, the morning sun coming through the treeline. She patted herself, spending a little extra time on her left side. She breathed a sigh of relief. It was just a dream.

"Hey, kid."

Samus's voice made Lucina jump a little. Samus sat down on a bench next to the bed, holding some cups of tea.

"I didn't mean to startle you, Lucina." Samus's face was etched with concern. "You were having a nightmare."

Lucina took a deep breath, and tried to compose herself. Her face was damp from sweat. "It was nothing." She finally answered. "Just a moment of weakness." Samus handed Lucina a tea cup and sat down next to the bed.

"Don't give me that." Samus scolded. "I've had those kind of dreams. The ones where you can't save everyone, or everyone suddenly hates you and wants you dead." Samus took a sip of tea. "It ain't fun."

"But why now? Everyone has forgiven me, Samus." Lucina could feel herself tear up. "Why do I still feel like I'm a monster?" Lucina stifled her sobs.

"Because you haven't forgiven yourself." Samus answered simply. "Which I get. You feel like maybe you made a bad decision somewhere down the line." Lucina took a small sip of tea. "And now you feel alone and hated. Or, at least, you should be." Samus finished her statement, gauging Lucina's reaction. Lucina was shaking a little.

"How do I know that everyone doesn't feel the same way I do about this?" Lucina asked quietly. Samus looked up at her new friend. She sighed internally. _Metaknight was dead on the money, she's more like me than I wished._ She thought.

"Lucina, I know someone who could help." She blurted out. Samus paused, "But he can be hard to deal with."

Lucina sniffed, wiping away a tear. "W-who could help?"

"Another smasher, a Pokemon like Pikachu, but he has psychic abilities." Samus paused. "Name's Mewtwo."

Lucina looked at Samus, the pause was longer than it should've been. "Something wrong about Mewtwo?"

Samus scratched her head. "Well, not exactly." She took a quick sip of tea. "He's … hard to read. And I think he enjoys that." Lucina frowned.

"But is he helpful?" She asked.

"If you ask nicely, Mewtwo will do a lot for you." Samus replied. "But don't expect him to open up or pretend to care. He's … very blunt."

"But he will help."

"Yeah." Samus stood up from her chair. "He's in room 209, if you want to meet him." She made her way to the door.

"Where are you headed?" Lucina asked, still reeling from her nightmare.

"Some of us got called into a meeting with the Board." Samus gave Lucina a little wink. "Nothing we can't handle, probably some marketing issue before the big press event." Lucina attempted to get up. "Why don't you relax for a minute?" Samus said with enough force to mask her concern. "Go see Mewtwo, and do some _**light**_ training?" Samus exited the room, leaving the swordswoman alone with her thoughts once more.

* * *

By the time Samus reached the boardroom, she could already hear the commotion from inside. As she stepped into the room, the dulled shouts from behind the wall became a monumental cacophony. There were 20 people in total, including herself. She recognized the small raccoon from earlier, as well as the redhead that knew Robin and Lucina so well. There was also a young girl with black hair, wearing a headband, a vest covering a flowery top, and brown shorts. Samus could also see what looked like … a toddler? The toddler looked the angriest out of all the board, engaged in a shouting match with Zelda. Samus walked over to Metaknight, who was silently perusing some papers. "What's going on?" Samus asked.

Metaknight looked up. "Good morning, Ms. Aran. You were delayed, I presume?"

Samus nodded. "Lucina had a nightmare. Sounded like family issues, she kept apologizing to her 'Auntie'." Metaknight squinted, trying to read Samus's reaction.

"Another nightmare does not bode well." Metaknight said. "First Link, then Lucina? How is she feeling?"

"Better. She's stronger than most, so she'll be okay." Samus sat down next to the Star Warrior. "But I agree, the whole 'apocalyptic vision' stuff is starting to worry me." She looked around the boardroom. "Speaking of apocalypse, what on earth is going on?"

"New format for the newbie tournament."

"New format?" Samus looked quizzically at Metaknight. "What was wrong with last year's tournament?"

"Nothing in particular. We just have more new smashers than ever, and the Board is concerned that the new smashers will feel alienated."

Samus was about to answer, when she heard a deep voice echo throughout the boardroom. " **Silence.** " Out of the shadows came out the Master Hand. The hand was gargantuan, a white glove covering whatever ethereal being floated inside. Everyone at the table immediately fell into silence, and began to sit down. The hand took it's place in between the raccoon and the toddler. " **The changes are final, this is not a debate. It is a draft.** " The echo held for several seconds, while the smashers looked at each other awkwardly. Samus raised her hand.

"Um … I came in late, so I missed a lot of the argument. What's this draft about?" She asked. The hand was silent, but moved to face the redhead.

" **Board Member Anna, would you care to explain?** "

Anna jumped a little bit. "Of course, sir! Right away, sir!" She almost shouted. "Well, this year there are 16 newbies, which, obviously, is a lot." She looked at the smashers as she continued. "So we decided to pair up each new smasher with a veteran. Based on some info we got from polls, this will also increase popularity about … thirteen percent."

Samus scowled. "What was wrong with the one-on-one style? We already have a lot on our plate."

"There will be a one-on-one tournament, don't worry!" Anna said reassuringly. "We'll have the one-on-one tournament, the newbie double tournament, and the regular double tournament." Samus continued scowling. "And that's why we're doing the newbie tournament before the other two, so you guys can get a break!"

"Wait, what?!" Peach interrupted. "How long is this Smash season going to last?!"

"Two months, same as always, yes?" Tom Nook answered. Anna sat down, relieved. "The first two weeks will be the newbie tournament, the next two will be the main events."

There were murmurs, but everyone kept relatively quiet. Master Hand spoke, startling the smashers.

" **The draft will now start.** " A jar filled with paper strips materialized in front of Zelda. " **Each of you will pick one paper. Each paper has a number. That number will determine when you choose your new partner.** " Zelda took a paper and passed it down the line. As it reached Samus, she pulled out her paper. She looked at the small number "4" written on it. After a few minutes, the jar had finally reached everyone in the group. Master Hand spoke up again. " **Good, now we'll call out the numbers.** "

Anna grabbed a sheet of paper. "Alright, let's give it a shot."

"One."

"Yo." Falco nonchalantly raised his hand while responding.

"Two."

"Here." Marth nodded in recognition.

"Three."

"Mhm." Link raised his hand, making a … standard amount of sound for him.

"Four."

Samus raised her hand. "Yep."

"Five" Anna continued on. As they reached nine, and Ganondorf raised his hand, Samus noticed that Zelda hadn't responded yet. Ganondorf had noticed too, and wore a smug grin.

"Fourteen"

"Yes." Zelda stated flatly.

As Anna finished, Samus began looking through newbie profiles. Honestly, she had a good idea of who she wanted to draft, but she wanted to cross her t's and dot her i's. She smiled. _Good, I won't seem like an idiot._ She thought.

* * *

Lucina stood outside of room 209, looking at her feet. She had been standing there for several minutes, just trying to figure out how to approach this situation. She had never even met this Mewtwo, and here she was, asking for a favor. I mean, that was inappropriate and very uncouth. Maribelle would scold her endlessly for this. As she was debating with herself, the door in front of her slowly swung open. A dark blue light emanated from the room.

 _No offense, Lucina, but I don't have all day._

Lucina looked around, startled. The voice in her head continued.

 _It's alright, child. You'll see in due time. Please, come in._

Lucina carefully walked into the room. The room was similar to her own, with a small bed, a desk, and a door leading to the bathroom. However, the lighting was much darker, and the walls were covered in strange arcane symbols. There was a small yoga mat, and levitating over it was a strange cat-like creature. It kept it's eyes closed, but Lucina could feel it's thoughts pouring over her.

 _I would say this was an unexpected visit, but that would make me a liar._ Lucina heard Mewtwo in her head. _And I know what you're going to ask me, but I'll be polite. What can I do to help you?_

"Um … I was hoping you'd take a look into my dreams, and try to help me." Lucina murmured.

… _Very well. Take the seat._ A seat moved from the desk to right next to Lucina. She quietly took the seat. Mewtwo opened his eyes. _What does Robin mean to you?_

"E-excuse me?" Lucina was flustered. "He's my best friend's father! And my father's best friend!"

 _But why are you so afraid of him?_

"Well, he had turned into a monster once upon a time..." Lucina tried to make it sound convincing.

 _Don't lie to me._ Mewtwo was curt. _It's not a rational fear. You like the man, but you're afraid of him for some other reason._

Lucina frowned. "If you know the answer, why don't you tell me?" She asked.

 _It's not my place. And I think you know that. I'll help you, but you need to think about yourself first._

"What do I need to think about?" Lucina started shaking.

Mewtwo closed his eyes again. Before he spoke, he gave a small smile.

 _Tell me more about your friend Severa._

* * *

As Lucina entered the main foyer, she was met by several people. Samus, Zelda, Marth, Corrin and Robin were talking amongst themselves. As Lucina joined them, Samus patted the swordswoman on the back.

"What's up, Lucina? Did you talk to Mewtwo?" Lucina gave a small smile.

"Yes, it was … very strange."

Samus frowned. "He wasn't an ass, was he? Because if he was ..." Lucina laughed a little bit.

"No, no, no. Nothing like that." She looked at Robin, who gave her a supportive smile. "I just have a lot to figure out, and some people I need to apologize to." Samus nodded in understanding. "What was the meeting about?" Zelda and Samus gave each other a look.

"Well, the tournament rules have changed." Zelda began explaining. "New smashers were paired up with 16 veteran smashers."

Lucina paused, noticing the grim look on everyone's face. "What happened? All of you look so downtrodden." She asked.

Zelda replied. "Well, Samus had the fourth pick, but I was stuck at fourteen." She looked at Robin, apologetically.

"Who's my partner?" Lucina was nervous.

"Oh, don't worry." Samus answered. "I picked you! Our team is gonna crush it!" She paused, looking sheepish. "The problem is more about Robin."

Robin looked a little miffed. "By all accounts, I should be flattered. My 'statistics'-" He emphasized this by rolling his eyes. "-aren't exactly good enough to warrant a high pick."

"The problem is who picked you up." Zelda grumbled. Lucina opened her mouth to ask, when she heard a booming voice come from behind.

"There you are, Robin! I was afraid I missed you!" Lucina turned around, and there stood Ganondorf. Despite his fearsome size, he had a bright smile on his face. "I wanted to figure out a time for us to meet, you know, have a 'meeting of the minds' and all that?" Robin chuckled nervously.

"Y-yeah, absolutely. We should meet soon. Maybe after the presser?" Robin asked meekly.

"Alright, I like that choice." Ganondorf clapped Robin on the back, knocking the wind out of the tactician. "Well, I have to go, lots of things to do, people to see!" He bowed to the others. "It was a true pleasure." As Ganondorf left their sights, Lucina turned to glare at her friends.

"Him?" She hissed. "You let him pick Robin?"

"I had a later pick! I couldn't actually do anything!" Zelda pouted. "Samus, Falco, and Marth all had top 5 picks!"

"Hey, don't look at me!" protested Falco. "I had the first pick! How was I supposed to know? And I wasn't about to pick someone with long range weapons." He looked down at Robin. "No offense, dude."

"None - _wheeze_ \- taken." Robin managed to get out.

"I figured you and Samus had an actual gameplan." Marth said, sarcastically. "I felt like interfering would be silly."

Samus paused, looking around awkwardly. "I admit, I might have been a little selfish with my choice." she finally admitted. "But I honestly think we can handle it. All we have to do is beat Robin and Ganondorf, right?"

Zelda pondered for a moment. "I suppose so. Ganondorf is forced to wear power limiters, so focusing on beating Robin should be top priority."

Robin looked up. "Wait a minute." He said in a worrisome tone. "Don't _I_ get a say in any of this?"

* * *

"And then they all had to nerve to just let fate decide what to do with Robin!" Lucina was ranting to the communicator. Severa sat on the other side, sitting straight and proper while Lucina paced around the room.

"Honestly, Lucy. This isn't normal for you." Severa said in a concerned voice. "You never get this angry."

Lucina paused, took a deep breath, and continued. "I know. But now Robin is once again stuck with evil people!" She turned to her friend. "He's your father, and I failed him, so therefore I fai-" Severa held out her hand.

"I know what you're going to say, Lucy." She scowled. "But honestly, I don't care." Lucina gaped, stunned. "Don't look at me like that, it isn't flattering! What I mean to say is that my dad can handle this Ganondorf loser! You're getting to work with Samus, who, if I remember correctly, is everything you want to be." Lucina frowned.

"But still, what if Robin get's tricked? What if I have to fight him for real?"

"Then do it. My dad can handle it, you know that!" Severa scolded. "Now get on your feet, Lucy! It's not like you to be sulking." Severa said, adding a wink at the end. "That's _my_ job."

Lucina smiled. "Thanks, Sev. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome." Severa smiled, and Lucina could hear voices from beyond Severa's room. "Ah! I have to go! Mom is expecting visitors, we're having an all-girl dinner party!"

"It sounds like I'm missing out on quite a bit of mischief." Lucina giggled.

"Well, don't worry about missing me! I'll be by in a couple of days!" Severa said with a grin.

Lucina froze. "A … couple of days?" Severa just laughed and continued.

"Yeah, silly! Mom, Morgan, and I are heading to your outrealm so we can see your interview first-hand!"

"That's … great!" Lucina attempted to hide your nerves. "I'm really excited to see you!"

"Aww, Lucy, you do care!" Severa winked after her statement. "I really do need to go though. Miss you!" And with that, Severa disconnected the call. Lucina started pacing again, much faster and with more intensity.

"Why does this get more and more complicated for me?"

* * *

 ** _I honestly did not expect to get the positive reactions I've gotten over the past few days. Thank you all so much! I tried to use some of the suggestions you guys gave me to improve my writing._**

 ** _In response to my most recent reviewer, sometimes things just fall into Ganondorf's lap, huh? But it's cool, he seems like a chill dude._**

 ** _Next chapter is super exciting! Watch the mundane day before the Presser in Chapter 10: My Golf Trip with Bowser!_**


	10. My Golf Trip with Bowser

**Chapter 10: My Golf Trip with Bowser**

* * *

For Robin, adjusting to the mansion life wasn't too difficult. Sure, he spent most of it reading up on the other smashers and making and adjusting plans for future fights, but it felt good to go back to the grind. Severa had already scolded him for 'being a bookworm' in paradise, but Robin had already managed to get Cordelia and the children passes to the presser, so there would be time for sightseeing after that. He grinned to himself at the thought of Cordelia and her radiant smile. When he thought of her, things didn't seem so redundant …

"Reading this early in the morning, Robin?" Marth had entered the main foyer. Robin looked up from his reclined position on one of the many couches. "One would think you don't sleep." The prince joked.

"Oh, I didn't." Robin smiled. "I'm a morning person, but I got so caught up in reading some history of the Lylat System." He paused, thoughtfully. "By the time I checked the clock on the wall-" He motioned to a giant clock hanging over an inactive fireplace on the near wall. "-It was already 4 am. I figured I might as well stay awake!"

Marth was stunned. "That's a terrible idea!" He stated in shock. "Even the sharpest minds need their rest! You cannot expect to keep the blade of your mind sharp unless you go to the whetstone of sleep!" As he spoke, Marth heard frantic scribbling. "Robin, what are you doing?"

Robin looked up from his notebook, in which had been writing. "Oh, that was just a really good analogy, Prince Marth! I just wanted to make sure to remember that one!" Robin frowned. "By the way … what are you wearing?" Robin hadn't noticed before, but Marth was wearing a set of strange garments. A short sleeved blue polo, white shoes, and pants that, at best, were gaudy. Blue and pink plaid assaulted Robin's eyes.

"Ah, yes! I'm heading out for a game of golf!" Marth answered.

"Golf?" Robin asked. "What in Naga's name is that?"

"It's fun! Make your ball in the cup in the least strokes, and you win." Marth lazily explained. "But Bowser stated that the tradition garb is as such."

"Bowser. You golf with Bowser."

"He is a very entertaining person to be around, Robin." Marth insisted. "Most of the 'villains' here are not so villainous. We just seem to have the poorest luck with our adversaries." Robin tapped his chin, lost in thought.

"So … do you only golf with Bowser?" Robin finally asked.

"Oh, not at all. Usually Mario and Luigi join us. In fact, I think that is who I'm playing with today." As Marth finished his sentence, both men could hear the booming footsteps of the Koopa King coming down the stairs. Robin sat up, and saw Bowser's attire.

Well, attire was a way to put it. Bowser was just wearing a puffed vest and a strange tartan cap. Robin could tell he was bothered by something.

"Marth, we have a slight problem." Bowser said, obviously exasperated.

"I notice that Mario and Luigi are not here, is that part of the problem?"

"Well, um … yes. Peach will be playing with us."

"And what, are you afraid that you will suddenly have the urge to kidnap her?"

Bowser glared at the Prince. "Notice how we had two people missing and now we have one person joining us? That's the problem!"

"Please do not treat me like an imbecile. " Marth's face contorted in thought. "Well, I suppose we could ask …"

"Robin, how would you like to go golfing?" Bowser interrupted Marth's train of thought. Robin hopped up from the couch.

"Sure!" Robin exclaimed. "I need to find some awful clothes first, apparently. I'll be right back." Robin hopped up the stairs towards his room. As he left Marth's sights, the prince glared at Bowser.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I just panicked at little bit." Bowser sheepishly said. "And besides, it'll be fun to see the man struggle." He laughed, his roar echoed in the foyer.

* * *

Robin had found a brilliant gold polo, and some purple slacks. _Thanks, Anna. I knew you'd put together one ridiculous outfit to try and catch me wearing._ He thought. He also found some wonderfully garish socks, argyle socks that were pink, purple, and white. Perfection. As Robin admired himself in the mirror, he heard a knock on the door.

"Um, Robin? May I come in?" He heard Lucina's voice from the other side of the door.

"Of course, Lucina! Please come in!" Robin called out. The door slowly creaked open, and Lucina walked in.

"You always were a morning person, Robin, I'm worried you never get enou-" She froze, looking at Robin's outfit. "Robin, what _are_ you wearing?"

"Um, well, it's a g-"

"It looks fantastic! It's so bold!" Lucina practically shouted. "I didn't know Anna had such good taste! I'm going to have to double check my closet!" She paused, and stopped herself, embarrassment radiating from her face. Robin smiled encouragingly.

"Well, thank you, Lucina. I appreciate it." Robin continued. "I'm going golfing with Bowser, Marth, and Peach. If you wanted to come, I'm sure they would be okay with it."

"I appreciate that, Robin, but I already planned to train with Samus this morning." Lucina replied. "I was wondering if you wanted to get some lunch after your … golf trip?" She had realized she had no idea what golf was. Robin had just been so casual about it.

" … Severa put you up to this, didn't she?" Robin looked at Lucina quizzically.

"Actually, aunt Cordelia did." Lucina cringed. _Not exactly the term that I should be using for Robin's wife, she's not even my real aunt!_ "Um … that is, she was really worried about you eating and taking care of yourself."

Robin frowned. "I'll have to apologize to her later, then." He replied. "She has to deal with a lot, huh, Lucina?"

Lucina was taken aback by the question. "I don't understand what you mean." She admitted.

"Cordy has always had my back, I guess I feel kind of guilty that I accepted this invitation." He sat on his bed, lost in thought. "I wouldn't blame her if she felt betrayed or didn't feel like a priority in my life, honestly." Lucina felt a surge of awkwardness. She wasn't expecting this kind of personal talk when she walked up to his door.

"Robin ..." Lucina paused, trying to think of what to say next. "... I think you're a great father and husband. And I know Cordelia feels the same way! She's only worried _because_ she loves you!" Lucina was resolute.

Robin looked up. "Thanks, Lucina. To be honest, I have been a little harsh on myself recently." He admitted. He looked at the clock on his wall. "... I should get going, though. I'll see you at lunch?"

Lucina nodded. "Yes, I'll meet you in the main foyer." She smiled.

"Got it." Robin stood up to leave. "Oh, and thanks again, Lucina."

"No problem, Robin."

As Robin went back downstairs, Lucina looked at the clock. She still had 15 minutes until she was supposed to head to the training room. For a second, she considered looking through his desk. She hadn't been able to actually talk about what she wanted to, but maybe, by chance, there was something there that could help her. _No no no no no! You're better than a common thief, Lucina._ She scolded herself. As she turned to leave, though, she caught a glimpse of something on Robin's desk. It was a small piece of paper, with words haphazardly scribbled on it. As she read it, her mouth involuntarily gaped open. It was just what she needed. No, it was even better. She hastily copied the contents of the note and ran out of the room. Now she needed to call Auntie Cordelia.

* * *

"Took you long enough!" Bowser exclaimed as Robin made his way down the stairs. "At least you look the part."

Peach was wearing a pink polo and white shorts. She looked at Robin, and began clapping in earnest joy. "Robin, you really know how to dress yourself! Color me impressed!" She exclaimed.

Bowser rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, let's not butter the guy up." The group headed through the foyer towards the tram terminal. They reached a tram that led to "Koopa Cape Smash Resort". Robin looked at Bowser curiously.

"Personal resort?" He asked.

Bowser raised his hands in a mock defensive gesture. "That's an old friend's idea. Use my name and make a nice resort." He looked slyly at the others. "Of course, free tee times are a perk."

Peach frowned at Bowser. "You just get free tee times because your old baby-sitter owns the resort." She retorted.

"Y'know, Peach, I'm surprised that you wanted to come golfing with me." Bowser shot Peach a glare. "Considering how much you dislike me."

"What a surprise! The girl you kidnap doesn't like you!" Peach began ranting. "Stop the presses! Peach doesn't like being kidnapped!" Robin and Marth looked at each other. Marth smirked. "And perhaps I just like kicking your butt in golf, Bowser! Wouldn't be the first time!" Peach's voice was still raised. Robin leaned over to Marth.

"Isn't butt an inappropriate word for royals to use?" Robin whispered. Marth grinned.

"Peach isn't one for courtesy when it's not needed." Marth whispered back. He reached out towards Bowser, who was about to respond. "Peace, peace. Let's be civil and have some fun today!"

Bowser grumbled in compliance. Peach crossed her arms and muttered something under her breath, but they remained quiet for the duration of the trip.

* * *

The resort itself was a beauty. Robin was in awe. The whole resort had a tropical theme. The entrance was flanked by two large waterfalls, and as they entered, there was a large tropical garden in the foyer. He followed Bowser and the others through the resort, which was already packed full of people. As they walked through, people spoke in hushed voices, eyeing the smashers. Two girls ran up to Marth.

"Um... excuse me. Mr. Marth?" One girl meekly called out. Marth looked at them and smiled.

"Yes? How are you today?" He asked them. One girl took in a deep breath, obviously overcome.

"We're, like, your biggest fans!" One girl shouted. "Can you sign our posters?" They pulled out posters that detailed the newest smash event.

"Wow, they work fast." Marth remarked as he quickly pulled out a pen. He signed the two posters and handed them back.

"Um, can we also get a picture with all of you?" The other girl managed to get out. "Our friends will freak out!"

Marth motioned to the others. "Sure, if everyone else is okay with it." The other three nodded, and everyone gathered around. One girl pulled out a small device. It flew forward and floated.

"Say-Cheese." A robotic voice eminated from the device. There was a flash, and the device flew back into the girl's hand. They gave a quick thank you to the group before giddily running through the main foyer. Robin looked at Marth, a little nervous.

"How often does stuff like that happen?" He asked.

"Not as often as you think, but it is something you gotta get used to." Marth answered. "You're a celebrity now!" Robin groaned.

"What _did_ I get myself into?" He muttered to himself.

* * *

After a minute or so, the group exited through a large set of doors. Outside, there was a small shack overlooking a large, detailed course of grass, trees, and water. Even though it was man-made, Robin couldn't help admiring how natural some of it looked.

"So, the first thing you need are some shoes and clubs." Bowser explained. "Plum will get you set up."

"Plum?" Robin asked.

"She's really good! She just knows what you need, it's like a sixth sense!" Peach eagerly pushed Robin into the shack. Inside the cabin was much different from the outside. The outside was made with wood, but the inside was clearly modern in style. Clothes and balls, and weird small stick things, and … bigger metal stick things, were all on display. At the counter sat a small teenage girl. Her long black hair was tied in a ponytailShe was wearing a blue polo, with white shorts and white shoes. She was reading a golf related magazine while chewing bubble gum. She looked up at the sound of the door opening, and gave a wide smile.

"Hey hey! What's up, Mr. Bowser?" The teen asked casually.

"Not much, Plum, we have a new golfer for you to help out." He presented Robin. Plum stood up and gave Robin a quick once-over.

"Alright, let's see..." She squinted a little bit. "Alright, I think I know what would work for him." She went into a back room. After several minutes of what sounded like rummaging, Plum came out from the back. She was holding a pair of shoes and a bag full of clubs over her back. "Try these shoes on, man. I think you'll like them." She tossed the shoes to Robin. "And you can try these clubs for today, just make sure you come back after you're done." She put them down next to Marth, who held the bag up. Plum looked at Bowser. "I set your tee time for 8:15. So, in like, 20 minutes. Give the guy a chance to practice, okay?" She pointed at Robin, who was busy putting on the shoes.

Peach gave Plum and hug and peck on the cheek. "Thanks Plum, you are such a darling." Plum waved her off in mock disgust.

"Gross, Peach! I'm sixteen now, I don't need hugs!" Still, she was smiling. "You guys get outta here, and have fun today!" The group left and headed for the driving range.

* * *

"Make it a fluid motion, you're still making it a two motion swing."

Peach had been coaching Robin for about twelve minutes, and while progress was being made, Robin still looked … sub-par, to say the least.

"I'm trying, it's a little harder than I imagined." Robin grumbled. Putting was easy, it took him 3 minutes to get that. But actually swinging the club was proving to be his archnemesis.

"Alright, try thinking of water. Be like a stream."

"You know, telling it to me a fourth time isn't going to change it." Robin swung again.

Bowser called out from behind them. "I think that one was better! Just keep it up!"

Another 5 minutes past. Robin could feel his swing getting better and better. Maybe that was a benefit of the wars he fought. Athletic things seemed to be easier for him than some other people. After a couple more swings, the group heard a voice come over the intercom.

"Bowser 4, please head to the first tee."

"Alright! Time for our fun to really start!" Peach exclaimed, looking at Bowser. "Make sure you don't lose too badly, okay?"

"I could say the same to you, Princess." Bowser grumbled.

"Alright, children, settle it down." Robin joked.

The first tee was set in a beautiful little clearing, surrounded by trees. At the end of a long stretch of short grass sat a red flag.

"The red flag is the goal." Bowser stated.

"I figured as much. There is a '1' printed on it." Robin pointed to the flag. The '1' matched the '1' on the tee-box. Bowser muttered under his breath.

"Well, let us decide who's going first." Marth stated, pulling out a tee. He tossed it to the ground. It landed, pointing at Peach. "Peach goes first" He picked it up and tossed it again. This time, it pointed at Robin. "-then Robin-" Again. "-Then Bowser, which leaves me last." He bowed to Peach. "The honor is your's, your Highness." Peach walked up to the tee, set her ball down, measured for a minute or so, then swung.

* * *

At the fifth tee, things were about as expected. Bowser and Peach were way ahead of Robin and Marth, but Robin found himself having fun. As much as Bowser was called 'evil' by the press, he was actually very funny.

"Look, I'm just saying that us married men have to stick together." The Koopa King insisted.

"But you're not married." Marth pointed out.

"But I have kids! How many of the smashers have children?" Bowser was counting on his claws. "You, Robin, and me! That's three! Like, we should have the Father Social Club or something."

"I feel like that couldn't possibly backfire." Peach rolled her eyes as she got back from taking her shot. "Watch out, incoming midlife crisis coming through!"

"I think it could be fun." Robin mused. "I mean, it's better for us to build camaraderie while we're all together." He took a swing. It actually went a good distance down the middle.

"Nice shot!" Bowser gave him a pat on the back. The group headed down the fairway. "See? Sticking together!"

* * *

"So who's your wife?"

"Excuse me?

They were now on the 10th hole, and were taking a short break. Peach had eagerly asked the question. Robin stared at her, incredulously.

"Oh, come on! We know all about Bowser's lack of love life, and I've met Marth's wife!" Peach continued. "But I don't know about who you're married to!"

Marth spoke up. "Now that you mention it, you and Lucina are rather close..." Robin coughed the water he was drinking. Peach gasped.

"I _knew it!_ " She practically screamed. Robin waved his hands in rejection.

"No no NO!" He shouted. "She's my goddaughter, not my wife!"

Bowser raised an eyebrow. "Goddaughter? She doesn't look much younger than you."

"That's … a very long story. I'm sure it's on Lucina's smash card." Robin made it clear that he didn't want to talk about it.

Marth crossed his arms. "So, it isn't Lucina. Who is it?" He asked.

"Well, you've never met her, so I don't know how I would describe her …" Robin began. Peach laughed.

"Just describe her, you weirdo!" She said. "You can tell us about when you two fell in love or something?"

"... Alright, fine." Robin conceded. "Her name is Cordelia, she has crimson hair, she's almost as sarcastic as I am, and she has this beautiful little laugh." He started to find himself getting lost in thought. "She always knows how to make me smile, and ..." Peach waved him off.

"Easy there, lovebug!" Peach laughed. "How about you tell us a story about you two?"

Robin thought about it for a minute "Hmm … well, this one time, we had all traveled to a beach that Anna's sister had turned into a resort like this..."

* * *

" … And then she admitted that she just liked collecting shells! Well, the only real time I had seen her relax was when she was around me, so to see her having fun..." Robin paused. "... It was nice."

By this point in time, the group was enamored with Robin's story. "What happened next?" Bowser asked eagerly.

"Well, I gave her some good-natured teasing. It only seemed appropriate." Robin gestured wildly. "That was when she faked a thrust of her spear, and well..." He blushed.

"Out with it!" Peach exclaimed. "You have to finish the story!"

"Alright, alright! She grabbed me by the waist and brought me into a kiss." Robin blushed even more furiously when the chorus of 'awwws' came in. "It turned out the whole thing was just a way to get to that situation, too!"

"That's so romantic!" Bowser sniffed, trying to hold back tears. "I like this Cordelia already!"

Marth gave Robin a wink, and stood up. "Alright ladies and gentlemen, I think that's enough reminiscing. We need to finish this course!" As the group stood up, Peach walked up to Robin.

"Your wife better be invited to some events." She mock threatened. Robin laughed.

"Are you kidding? She's going to most of them!" He replied.

* * *

By the 18th hole, Robin had gotten to know his three partners much better. Bowser spent two holes talking about his children, and how proud he was of them. It was clear that Bowser put a lot of effort into raising his kids, and loved them all dearly. Peach talked about her romance life, which was … pretty strange, to say the least. She was definitely not the average Princess. Marth had talked about Caeda, and he and Robin talked a lot about Tiki, and how she had changed and stayed the same.

"You know, you should invite Tiki to an event if Cordelia cannot go." Marth had said.

"Tiki might completely run you over out of excitement." Robin joked. "I'm not sure you want to be out in the medical ward for a few months." He nodded. "I'll ask her."

As the group finished up, things had proceeded about as expected.

"So, Peach had a -5 today. Bowser had a -3, and I had a +2." Marth read the scorecard aloud. "And our newest member, Robin, had a ..." He blinked hard, squinting at the card. "+21?" Robin smiled.

"Wow, is that a good score?" He asked. Peach laughed.

"No Robin, that's a … pretty bad score." Marth responded. "I'm pretty sure I mentioned that lower scores are better."

"Oh well." Robin shrugged. "I had fun, at least. It was a new experience!"

"Well, I think we all know who the best man today was." Peach smugly declared. "It was the wo-man!" Bowser gave a snort.

"Yeah, yeah, you had a good round." He admitted. The tension between the two was much less severe than earlier, Robin noticed.

* * *

"Did you have fun?"

Lucina was sitting on a recliner in the foyer when she heard Robin and his group walk in. As the others passed by and gave their greetings, Robin stood up next to her.

"Yeah, I'll tell you about it while we eat. Are you ready to go get some lunch?" Robin asked. Lucina nodded. She had changed out of her armor, and was now wearing a white tank top with blue jeans. She also wore dark blue sneakers. "Did Samus pick out your outfit?"

Lucina sighed. "Is it that obvious? She wouldn't let me go with my more bold choice."

"It looks fine, Lucina." Robin reassured her. "Sometimes you sound like Severa."

"Oh!" Lucina popped up out of her chair. "Speaking of Sev, can we go shopping? It's her birthday the day after she arrives, so I'd like to go get her a present." Robin raised his eyebrow in curiosity.

"Sure thing, Lucina." He said. "We'll go after lunch." She gave Robin a small smile as they went back into the terminal.

* * *

Peach had told Robin about a great sandwich shop inside the major mall that they had explored a couple days before. Robin had seen several things to get his daughter in that mall as well, so the whole situation seemed like a win-win. As they waited for their food to arrive, Robin talked about the golf trip in detail. Lucina found herself slightly envious.

"... And I played absolutely terribly, but I think you would really enjoy it!" He exclaimed. "We should go, just you, me, and our families. We can play together!"

"But we'll all be terrible."

"That's not the fun part of the game, though!" Robin insisted. "Just being with your friends is what makes it fun!"

"Maybe Severa and I will stick to the shopping; you can take father and mother with you." She joked. "I would enjoy going, in all seriousness."

"Speaking of couples …" Robin thought about it for a second. _I hope I don't embarrass Lucina too much_. He thought. "All three of them thought _we_ were a couple." He laughed, but was interrupted by Lucina shouting.

" _ **What?!**_ " Lucina shouted, absolutely stunned. "Agh, that's so embarrassing!" Her entire face was beet red. "Have I been acting strange around you? I've really been acting strange around you, haven't I?" She kept muttering. "That's not it at all, I'm not romantically attracted to you, you're just like a father to me and I..." Robin held his hand up, and Lucina stopped.

"Lucina. I know." Robin said with a comforting voice. "You're my goddaughter, and trust me, I know a lot more than you think." Lucina began blushing even more furiously. "And I know you're not into me at all!" He finished. Lucina was still blushing. "... So, how was training with Samus?"

"Um, it was good, I think." Lucina replied. "Honestly, we watched a lot of other fighters on one of those screen things?" She made a big motion, trying to show the scale of things.

Robin nodded. "I need to make use of those. I feel like they could be really helpful." He made a mental note of it, and continued. "So who did you watch?"

"A lot of Fox, Pikachu, a small chimpanzee named Diddy Kong, and a lot of Marth." Lucina kept going. "Samus said that the moment you get in a smash, we're studying you, too."

Robin laughed. "Well, I'll tell Samus that I'm flattered." He paused for a second, before changing the subject again. "So, what about romance?"

"R-romance?" Lucina spluttered. "Whatever could you mean?"

"Don't lie to me, Lucina. You've definitely been acting strange recently. You're way more nervous than before."

"T-that's because I'm doing a lot of new things that I couldn't do in my timeline." Lucina stuttered.

"Nope! I know what it looks like to have a crush." Robin said stubbornly. "I'm your godfather, you can tell me!"

"Honestly, this seems like a mother/godmother sort of talk." Lucina argued.

"But your mother and Cordy are just going to tell me anyway!" He insisted. "You can totally cut out the middleman here!"

"Fine." Lucina said flatly. "It's Sev."

"Are you serious?"

"Serious as can be."

"Serious serious?"

Lucina took a sip of her iced tea she had ordered. "Well, whatever makes you drop the subject." She smiled slyly. Robin put up his hands in defeat.

"Alright, you win." He conceded. "I'm sorry I pushed too much there, I know it's a hard subject to talk about." Robin saw a waiter approach them with their food. "So, shopping after this?"

Lucina smiled. "Yes, I would like that."

The cubano that Robin ordered smelled heavenly, though he had no idea what 'mustard' was. Everything else looked good. Lucina had gotten a chicken pesto sandwich, which made Robin smirk. Lucina frowned.

"Your pizza looked good, I thought I would give it a try myself." She admitted.

"So are your mother and father coming by tomorrow as well?" He said inbetween bites. After all this time, Lucina still ate with the vigor of someone who had to survive on little to nothing. He was five bites in, and she was already finishing off her chips and coleslaw.

"I did imply that by saying you could take them golfing while Sev and I shop." She replied. She had emptied her plate and was once again sipping on her iced tea.

"Good point." Robin noticed Lucina eyeing his food. "Would you like my coleslaw?" Robin offered. Lucina nodded.

"If you do not mind." She gave him a small smile as he handed it to her.

* * *

The mall was rather large, but Robin knew where he wanted to go. As he searched through the first department store, he heard Lucina call out.

"I like this design a lot!" Robin closed his eyes. 90% of the time, that statement from Lucina ended in fashion tragedy. As he turned to look, he saw her holding a dress very similar to the one he had spotted a couple days ago. In fact, it was exactly what he was looking for! A light pink dress with a singular red ribbon design on the side. Robin looked at Lucina quizzically.

"I like it too, Lucina. Did you want this to be your gift to her?" He asked. Lucina nodded in excitement.

"I would love to, _uncle._ " She used the last word with a smirk on her face.

"Don't uncle me, young lady!" He scolded. "... It makes me feel old."

The next store featured several beauty products. Robin bought three bags worth of shampoos, soaps, and various other things that Severa would make the most of. Robin also bought Severa another dress and a set of earrings.

"Robin, you really do not skimp on your daughters, do you?" She asked. Robin grinned sheepishly.

"I do tend to dote on them, don't I?" He laughed. "Not that Chrom is any better, though!"

"Father does tend to … entertain my requests often." Lucina admitted. She thought back to her birthday last year. Lucina had called it a great shopping trip. Severa had called it the 'Technicolor Terror of Chon'sin'.

"That does remind me, I did intend to get something for Morgan and Cordelia as well. Maybe you can help?"

"I'd love to help!" Lucina smiled.

* * *

Morgan was easy, Robin found several books on tactics and history from the various worlds of other Smashers. But Robin was worried when it came to Cordelia. He knew what he wanted to get her, but was anything good enough?

"Robin, I think you're overthinking it a little." Lucina insisted. "Just get her something you know she'd like."

"She has to love it, Lucina!" Robin retorted. "Liking it is like, settling for second best."

She was silent for a moment, before speaking. "I have a theory about you and Aunt Cordelia." Lucina stated, attempting to imitate Miriel.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Robin grumbled.

"I think you like her." She teased in response. Robin laughed, and quickly joked back.

"Oh, you figured me out! What if she doesn't like me back? I'm sooo nervous!" He threw his hands up in an exaggerated gesture of frustration. As they passed a jewelry store, Robin froze. There was a silver necklace sitting in the display window. A ruby in the shape of a teardrop was set at the end of the piece. Robin took a deep breath and blinked hard, just to make sure he was awake.

"I think I just found it, Lucina."

* * *

Robin had also decided to buy a dress for Cordelia as well. A simple white dress with emerald swirl patterns on it that complemented the ruby necklace perfectly. He admired it for a minute or so on the tram before Lucina spoke to him.

"I was serious about what I said earlier, Robin." She stated. Robin looked up, smiling.

"I know, and you were right! I do like Cordelia." He joked with her.

"I'm glad you could come to this conclusion." Lucina laughed with her godfather all the way back to the mansion. As they said goodnight to each other, Robin entered his room. He knew what Lucina had meant, and he supposed she was right about that, too. But that was for another time. He peered onto his desk. His note had been moved a slight bit. The note had a list of everything he planned to buy Severa and Morgan at the mall. _That explains Lucina knowing what dress to get._ He thought. He slowly removed both the list and his history of the Lylat system book. Underneath was a much older book, covered in strange runes. He couldn't read them, but he knew people that could. The book was open to a particular page. Facing Robin, with only a lamp illuminating it, was the drawing of a mask. Robin sneered. Zelda knew what that mask was, but was too afraid to tell him what it meant. _But, maybe Zelda isn't the only one who knows about it._ Robin thought.

Maybe Ganondorf knew as well.

* * *

 ** _In all honesty, this chapter was difficult to write. Eventually, I edited it down and made it snapshots of a long day for Robin, but it was definitely both longer and more long-winded. A lot of the Lucina-Samus training stuff that's mentioned and things pertaining to Zelda, Marth, and others will appear in future chapters, though. I wanted to thank everyone again for all the support and reviews. It really helps keep me motivated! Thanks again! And as always, reviews and comments are appreciated!_**

 ** _Next Chapter: Meet the Press_**


	11. Meet the Press

**Chapter 11: Meet the Press**

"Wake up, sleepyhead!"

Robin groaned as he lifted his head out of his pillow. His sleep had been consistently interrupted by recurring flashes of thought. All of the questions, and the frustrating lack of answers to said questions. It had been awhile since he had such a restless night. He yawned, and was about to turn back to his pillow for another five minutes of sleep, when the thought crashed into his head. _Who's trying to wake me, and why do they sound like..._ Robin whipped his head around, facing the doorway. Anna was peering into his room. Robin looked down, sighing in relief when he saw his undershirt. Alright, he was relatively decent. He looked back up at this Seller friend. Anna was gazing in with a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance.

"Took you long enough!" She shouted. "You have your photo op in about 45 minutes!"

"Why are _you_ the one waking me up?" Robin asked, accusingly. Anna rubbed her temples in frustration.

"Out of all the people, I would expect _you_ to read the introduction packet." She said, pointing at the small booklet at Robin's bedside table. The tactician rubbed the back of his head in slight embarrassment.

"I was planning on it … but I got distracted." He picked the booklet up. "What's in here that's so important?" He began flipping through the pages.

"Naga help me," Anna muttered to herself, before walking into the room. Robin instinctively covering himself with the bed. "Oh, stop that. It's not like other redheads haven't seen worse." She rolled her eyes.

"Are you serious?!" Robin countered. "Just because you have similar hair color to Cordelia does _not_ give you the transitive property of also seeing me like this!" He shouted. Anna just waved him off, walking into his closet.

"It's a ginger thing, honey. You just don't understand." She looked through his closet. "I think a tan suit, with some purple and white accents. It _suits_ you." She looked back at the glaring tactician.

"Even for you, that was bad." He grumbled. Anna laughed, and Robin immediately felt something was off. That laugh was too familiar. "Wait a minute …" Anna had walked over to his bedside. He rubbed his eyes. He was still bleary, but everything about Anna seemed … off. The hair was a brighter shade of red, she seemed more … lithe, and her laugh and facial expressions were all …

"Don't tell me all of this time spent in this mansion has dulled your senses." Anna said, suddenly sitting next to him on the bed. Robin's eyes grew wide. Anna's face … wasn't Anna's at all! It was all to familiar, and all too welcome. He smiled, involuntarily. This Anna smiled back, and quickly swept him up in a kiss. As they ended their kiss and embrace, too soon for Robin's taste, he looked back at the woman he barely got to see since he came back. He frowned.

"Cordelia, that's a cruel trick." He pretended to sound hurt, but couldn't truly manage it. His wife grinned, slyly.

"You're not the only one who can outsmart people." She proclaimed. "Anna was the only one who could enter your room, so..." Just then, Anna burst in, wearing a moderate length skirt with a button up top.

"... We just pulled the old switcheroo!" Anna shouted, gleefully. "Ginger power can't be stopped!"

Robin was still perplexed. He turned to his wife. "Seriously, you had me convinced for a minute … while I was woozy." He admitted. Cordelia smiled, obviously proud of herself.

"It took me two days to really get Anna's mannerisms, you know." She winked and put her finger on her chin, in a distinctly Anna way. "It was not easy!"

Robin turned to Anna, mock glaring. "You have ruined the love of my life, Anna." He admonished. "I married her for her distinct 'non-Anna'-ness." Cordelia and Anna both rolled their eyes, before breaking into giggles. It had taken four years, but Robin was secretly glad to see Cordelia cracking jokes like this, sharing her sense of humor with others. It was at this point that Anna looked at her wrist.

"Seriously though, you need to get ready. You do have a photo op in 30 minutes." She stated. Robin frowned. So that wasn't a joke after all.

"Should I wear the suit, or my normal attire?" He asked. Anna put her finger to her chin in thought.

"Normal attire for the photo op." She answered. "Suit for the press if you can change in time."

Robin nodded. "Alright." He responded. "Now, while I enjoy the company of both of you," He shot a look at both women. "I really need you to leave the room so I can get cleaned and dressed." He could see Anna and Cordelia about to try to finagle their way into helping him out. Cordelia for obvious reasons, and Anna for potential monetary gains that he didn't want to think about. "Now would be nice." He hinted, faking a sweet voice. Cordelia blushed heavily, and quickly escorted herself and Anna out of the room. Robin sighed to himself, as he walked into the washroom.

* * *

Lucina had decided to see the photo op earlier than she needed to. Maybe seeing how the whole experience would go could ease her mind. As she exited her room and turned the corner, she saw what looked like two Annas. At first, Lucina wasn't bothered, there were potentially hundreds of Anna's out in the world. The secret seller herself said that she came from a large family. However, this other Anna was taller than the ones that Lucina had met before. And as she got closer, she noticed that this new Anna didn't sound like any of the others, or really look it. She squinted. This Anna looked very much like... "... Aunt Cordelia?!" She shouted in surprise. Cordelia and Anna turned, startled. The pegasus knight smiled broadly at the accidental intruder.

"Lucina! I was hoping I could get to see you before the interviews." She said warmly. Lucina embraced her godmother as Anna huffed in frustration.

"What? No hugs for poor ol' Anna here?" She muttered. As she finished, she felt Lucina hug her as well.

"Oh, Ms. Anna. You've helped me so much already." The Princess said. "I can't possibly repay you!" Anna laughed nervously.

"Hey, let's not get too crazy! Repayment is always an option!" She said nervously. She couldn't help but smile. Cordelia undid her hair from her ponytail.

"Anna, you may need to help me with my hair." She stated. "I don't understand how you could wear it this way all the time." Cordelia grumbled as she tried to untangle her hair.

"Trust me sweetie, it's a gift." Anna said, winking for emphasis. She faced Lucina. "Have fun today, Lucy! I'm gonna go help Cordelia fix her hair." Both redheads ran down the hallway. Lucina smiled to herself. If Cordelia was already here, then that meant that her whole family was there! That meant... Lucina shook with anticipation. Family and friends always helped with nerves. It would be good for her to see her family before she got pictures taken.

As Lucina turned the corner at the stairs heading down to the foyer, she was greeted by a a familiar face.

Well, 'face' wasn't quite right. At the angle she was at, Lucina could not get a clean look at the face. But the white hair in distinctive pigtails was enough to confirm Lucina's suspicions. As she walked down the stairs, Lucina spoke up.

"Hello, Severa. I would expect you to be with your father right now." She tried to sound formal, but only managed to sound stiff. Her friend turned to her, scowling.

"What? No 'How have you been, Sev?' 'How are your parents, Sev?' 'How's your love life, Sev?'" Severa got more and more exasperated with every mock question. Before Lucina could even respond, Severa kept going. "As for _mother, she_ decided to saunter off rather than spend time with her daughters!" She looked at the ground, red dusted her cheeks. "... I mean, mom was being romantic, in her annoying, perfect kind of way." Severa muttered. She found herself frozen as she felt Lucina embrace her. She could hear the princess giggle to herself.

"It's wonderful to see you as well, Sev." Lucina said, almost grateful that Severa hadn't changed at all. "Could you possibly lead me to my parents? I would really appreciate it." Severa nodded.

"Sure, Lucy." She said, before scowling towards the stairway. "It's better than waiting for my parent's to get their lives in order."

* * *

The photo op was taking place in the main foyer, which was good for a lot of the newer smashers, who had not quite gotten used to the labyrinth that was the mansion. What had been a collection of various couches, televisions, chessboards, and other various decorations were not replaced by four different stages. All the stages were surrounded by, as Lucina noted, what looked to be a lot of little pieces of technology. As she observed one such stage, she saw several people come up to the technology and mess with it for a moment. A bright flash emanated from the little boxes. Lucina blinked in surprise. _I have to stand in front of that light?_ She thought, as she followed Severa through the foyer. As she passed another stage, she caught a glance of both crimson and dark blue hair. Add to that the squeals of delight she could hear from 40 or so paces away, and she had a good idea of who the people were. Lucina braced herself as her younger sister barreled into her.

"Lucina! I'm so excited!" Cynthia practically screamed Lucina's ear off. "Knights, glory, and fame?! I should've joined when I had the chance!" Severa rolled her eyes.

"Puh-leese." She said, sneering and crossing her arms. "Lucina and dad didn't even know they were in it until they were picked up." She smirked when she paused. "I don't think you can just 'sign up', Cynthia." The young pegasus knight pouted in response.

"Aww, it just seems so heroic." She responded, turning to hug her sister once again. "I'm really proud of you, Lucy." Lucina returned the embrace, smiling.

"Thank you, Cynthia. It means a lot to me." Lucina turned to where Cynthia had come from. Severa's little sister Morgan was speaking to the two people that Lucina wanted to see the most. She walked up to the two figures, trying to not look too childish.

"Hello father, hello mother!" She said, smiling widely. Chrom and Sumia turned to face their daughter, the queen immediately fawning over her.

"My little Lucina!" Lucina was getting used to all of the hugs, but her mother always seemed to hug just a little bit harder than the others. "I'm so proud of you!" Lucina gasped as the hug got even tighter.

"Mother … can't … _breathe."_ She managed to squeak out. Sumia let go of her daughter, flush with embarrassment.

"Oh, dear. I'm so sorry." She apologized. "I still overdo it sometimes." Lucina smiled weakly in response.

"It's alright, mother. I'm glad to see you and father today."

Chrom spoke up. "Neither of us would miss a chance to support you, Lucina." He patted her shoulder. "Are you looking forward to today?" As Lucina was about to answer, her father leaned in and whispered. "Because I have no clue what any of this means."

Lucina grimaced. "To be honest, I'm not certain." She answered. "It's all so new." She looked down at the ground. She felt her father hug her.

"You'll do fine, Lucina." He told her confidently. "You have poise and strength beyond your youth." Lucina smiled and returned the hug. She heard Severa huff.

"Great, a hug-fest." She muttered.

* * *

Samus checked her watch. She groaned. There were only 10 minutes until her photo op. Normally, she would just wait until the presser, and avoid the photo op. However … _I need to give a good impression to Lucina. I have to be a role model._ She thought. She looked in her closet. Maybe it was time to wear the power armor. As she gave her power armor a glance over, she smiled to herself. She reached over and flipped a switch on the helmet. As the suit lit up, she heard a robotic voice.

" **hello samus** "

"Mornin' VI." VI was the suit's new program interface. It was a new interface after the distaster of ADAM.

" **you have an appointment in 10 minutes, samus** " Samus smirked.

"I'm well aware, VI." She answered. "I'm thinkin' about wearing the power armor for the photo op."

" **i'm in agreement, samus** " the suit's voice droned. " **it would be an appropriate way to get people excited** " Samus snorted involuntarily.

"You don't have to convince me, you know." She said.

" **i just wanted to let you know how unappreciated you make me feel** "

"Watch it, VI. I'm still not over robots trying to kill me." Samus said in a fake hurt voice. She began putting on the armor. As she was putting on the leg armor, she heard a knock on her door. "Yo, come in!" She shouted. The door cracked open, and Samus could see Zelda peering in. Zelda gave off a startled shout.

"Ah, I'm so sorry, Samus!" Zelda cried out. "I'll come back when you're decent."

Samus rolled her eyes. "Zel, you've seen me in the Zero Suit more times than in my Power Suit." She said with exasperation. "I'm pretty sure I'm decent."

Zelda peeked in again. "... so can I come in?" She asked meekly. Samus nodded.

"Of course! You're my friend!" She answered. "And I might need your help getting this armor on." She turned her back to Zelda. "Can you put the back plate on?" Zelda nodded, slowly picking up the piece of armor. She placed the piece on Samus's back.

"Was that satisfactory, Samus?" Zelda asked.

Samus turned around, rolling her eyes. "Of course it was, Zel!" She responded. "What's wrong? You're acting really down."

Zelda averted her eyes from Samus's gaze. "I'm … just worried about all of these recent nightmares that our friends have been having." She finally looked at Samus. "What if our failure to get Robin away from Ganondorf dooms everyone?!" Her voice was beginning to strain. She gasped in surprise as she felt metal gauntlets on the sides of her head. Samus was staring the Hylian princess down.

"Zel, stop being so hard on yourself." She said softly. "All we can do is help where we can. Just be brilliant like I know you can." Samus stood up, helping Zelda stand as well. "C'mon, we've gotta get to the photo op." Before they left the room, Samus turned towards her friend. "Do you really not trust Robin? I think he can handle himself." Zelda grimaced and responded.

"I think he thinks that as well, and that's the problem."

* * *

"Can you point the sword upward? Think standing up to a large monster in a heroic fashion."

Lucina smiled and complied. While this all felt superfluous and silly, it was hard to deny that this whole photography session was fun. Robin, Cordelia, and Anna had now joined the group.

"Think that you're defending the world from harm!" The photographer called out. "Perfect! That's it!"

After another minute or so, Lucina was called off the stage. Robin now walked onstage.

"Alright, so you're Robin?" The photographer didn't wait for a response. "Okay, let's do the 'dangerously smart' kinda look." Lucina saw Cordelia whisper something to Anna and Sumia, resulting in giggles breaking out amongst the group. Sumia caught her daughter looking at them curiously, and mouthed out a 'I'll explain later'. Lucina nodded in acceptance. As she looked towards the main staircase, she saw a strange sight. Zelda was entering the foyer with a strange, metal clad warrior. The two made their way towards the group, Zelda waving and shouting something to Lucina. However, Lucina could hear nothing. The sounds of multiple photographers giving orders to smashers on separate stages created a din that made Zelda's voice hard to discern.

"I'm sorry, your majesty, what was it you meant to say?" Lucina asked when the two finally joined them. Zelda smiled and replied.

"I was wondering how you were feeling. Mewtwo had mentioned you having a nightmare." Zelda shot Samus a look. She had to go find and bother Mewtwo to get gossip that she could've gotten from her best friend. But Samus stubbornly refused to tell her.

Lucina blushed slightly. "It was nothing, just a passing worry." She answered. "I apologize if I worried you."

Zelda laughed. "Nonsense! We're all friends here, and we should look after each other!" Zelda noticed that the other members of the royal family had now joined them.

"Hello again, your majesty." Chrom bowed. "It truly is a pleasure to see you again."

"The pleasure is all mine, Lord Chrom." The princess replied. "And Queen Sumia, I'm also glad to see you as well." Sumia walked over to the Hylian and wrapped her up in a big hug. Zelda gasped in surprise. Sumia pulled away, obviously embarrassed.

"I'm so sorry, I just …" Sumia paused. "... get carried away sometimes."

"Well, looks like we have a wonderful little moment here!" Another voice entered the group. The others turned. Fox, Falco, Marth, and a man with a pink hoodie had joined the group.

The person wearing the orange armor spoke up. "If you want a hug, just ask, Falco." They flexed, "I give great hugs."

Falco winced. "Samus, I'd like to catch a glimpse of a mid-life crisis before I go." He replied. Lucina looked at Samus in shock.

"Samus is in there?!" She cried out. The bounty hunter took off her helmet, revealing her face to the young princess.

"Yeah, kid, this is my power armor." She replied. "It's what I use for … _bigger_ fish."

The photographer interrupted their conversation. "Alright, I need Princess Zelda on this stage, and Samus needs to go to Stage 3 for the photo op. You two are the last two today!" Samus looked at her royal counterpart.

"Alright, alright. I'll see you guys at the press conference." She said non-chalantly, walking towards the other stage.

* * *

The Board set up interviews in three sections. First would be the new smashers in the tournament, separated in sixes. After that would be the32 smashers participating in the Newbie Doubles tournament, brought in by pairs, followed by the All-Star interviews. While the terminology was strange, Robin understood and appreciated the planning that had gone into this system. Robin hadn't had the time to switch out of his robes, much to Cordelia's dismay. He also had to go into a separate area before the presser. As Robin looked at the schedule, he looked at who he was with. Luckily, he was at least with Lucina, though Corrin would be in a later group. Robin sighed to himself as he entered the stage. It was going to be difficult, meeting all these new people. He took his seat in between Lucina and another swordsman, although his garb suggested a similar lifestyle to Fox or Samus. The man in the pink hoodie seated himself to Lucina's left. To his left sat a woman wearing tight black clothing, which matched her raven hair. She wore small glasses and a near-constant smirk on her face. Robin looked to his right. At the very end of the table sat a man with blond hair, black clothes, and a scowl on his face. A giant sword was propped up against the side of the table.

Robin watched as a small raccoon, whom Zelda referred to as 'Tom Nook', went up to the front podium. He cleared his throat, catching the attention of the press.

"Hello, hello!" The small creature began. "Welcome to this year's first press conference! We've been through all the rules, yes, yes?" He pretended to wait for a response, but continued anyway. "Excellent! Our first interviewees are here! We have the lovely Bayonetta," The woman with raven hair politely nodded her head. "Little Mac," The man in pink waved, carrying a self-assured smile. "Lucina," Lucina gave a brief smile before returning to looking through the crowd. "Robin," Robin waved. He managed to catch a glimpse of three people in the back returning the wave. "Shulk," Shulk gave the press a little wink and wave. Robin managed to hear a small chuckle from the group out in front. "and Cloud Strife." The blond haired man made no motion of acknowledgment, choosing to just sit and take in the scene.

"We will now field questions from the press."

A woman with turquoise earrings put up a hand. "Little Mac, you've been the boxing champion of the world for three years now. What made you choose to enter this tournament?" Pink Hoodie shifted a little. _What am I becoming, Gaius?_ Robin thought.

"Well, I figured that this is the next big challenge for me." Little Mac answered.

"But do you think you're at a disadvantage, considering your fighting style?"

"Considering almost nobody here fights like me, I'm not too worried 'bout that."

Another reporter. "Cloud, do you feel like your speed will hinder you in matches?"

"No."

There was small awkward silence before another question came up. "Cloud, do you think you'll do better in the singles tournament, considering the history of your solitary style of fighting?"

"Yes."

"Is there any way we can get more than one word answers?"

" … No."

This time, the panel were the ones laughing. Robin caught Cloud giving the others a small smirk.

"I have a question for Lucina." Lucina stiffened slightly.

"Yes?"

"Lucina, we don't have any good looks on you yet, but we have heard that you have a birthmark … on your eye?"

"That's correct."

"Does that effect your fighting?"

Lucina laughed in surprise. Robin could see her relax. "No, not at all! I wouldn't notice if people didn't mention it to me."

"Bayonetta, what are your plans for the tournaments, considering the amount of magic involved?"

The raven haired woman smirked, before speaking. "Darling, you wouldn't want me to spoil the fun, now would you?" She paused, taking in the response. "And I'll handle it like a witch and a lady, thank you very much."

"Shulk, how much advantage does the Monado provide for you?"

"Aw, I would think it provides some insurance, but it's not infallible, you know?" He shrugged. "I can see moments, but I can't read a mate's mind."

"Robin, you're known for your planning prowess, what should we expect from you?"

Robin grinned. Everyone had told him to be himself, so he went with a little dry humor. After all, at least he could make Cordy laugh. "Long nights with no sleep, maybe even a thrown book or temper tantrum, if you're so lucky." He answered quickly. He heard Little Mac spit out some water, and the laughter of the panel and press.

* * *

The first interview had gone as expected. Some soft questions for the press to toss out and get easy answers. Robin was now watching the pairs interviews. Falco and Little Mac were giving sarcastic non-answers to questions, mostly for fun, but Robin also understood why you wouldn't want to share information. He heard heavy footsteps heading his way. He turned his head. Ganondorf walked over to the tactician.

"Are you prepared for the interview?" He asked Robin. Robin shrugged in response. "I hope so, it could be rough."

"All the questions have been rather … soft." Robin replied.

"Yes, but you're about to be interviewed with the 'king of evil'." Ganondorf said before laughing. "They never really take it easy with the bad guy."

Robin was silent. Falco and Little Mac had left the stage, which meant …

"Robin and Ganondorf, you're up!" Someone called from the stage. As Robin walked out and sat at the table, he heard some hushed whispers.

"Alright, we'll start fielding questions, folks."

A balding man in a tan suit raised his hand. "Robin, we have read that you were once a …" He looked at his papers nervously, " … well, you have some history of violence. You claim to be a hero, but are you really?"

Robin was stunned for a moment. _So much for soft questions._ He leaned over to his microphone.

"Well, first of all, I've never claimed to be a hero." Robin started. "And a history of violence is a pretty vague way of describing my past as a giant death-worshiping dragon." It all came out so easily, maybe it was the cold anger brewing in Robin's gut, but he didn't seem to have any trouble answering this question. "Honestly, that was involuntary already. Plus, I would like to believe that my other actions in my life have made it all a wash."

"I guess we're wondering if you are the hero everyone says you are."

"I'm not sure, but I can tell you one thing." Robin paused. "I'm here to win a tournament and make my family, friends, and country proud. If that's evil, I'm not sure I want to be good." It was a joke, and some of the press took it as such, giving off little chuckles here and there.

A woman with a dark suit spoke up. "Ganondorf, you've finished last in the last two tournaments. Do you feel like your performances match your potential?"

Ganondorf gruffly replied. "Of course not. Who would answer that with a yes?" He gave the reporter a stern look. "Every year, I come in to win it all."

"But a lot of people claim you don't give it your all." She insisted.

"Power limiters can do that to a person." Ganondorf pointed to a bracelet on his right arm. "Gotta make it fair for the others. Three or four others have them as well." This quieted the press.

Robin decided to speak up. "I like to think we're in the present, and we're going to have a good plan. A really good plan, you will not believe your eyes." He nodded and winked. "Trust me, we're going to surprise a lot of people."

The interview lasted another fifteen minutes, with Ganondorf and Robin deflecting questions about their gameplan, about their next opponents, and such. Robin was actually starting to regret his boisterous comment earlier, when the last question came up.

"This one's for Robin." What looked to be a cat-like creature had raised their hand. "We were wondering how you're enjoying the city, and what are your plans for the next couple of days before the tournament?"

"Well," Robin looked for Cordelia and his daughters. "My first plan is to enjoy the city with my wife and daughters. Then Ganondorf and I will go train for the next couple of days. Get it together for the tournament." He finally caught a glimpse of one family member. Severa was smiling broadly at him, and waved when their eyes met. Robin smiled back. "I may be a crazy death-worshiping dragon monster, but I can be a family man as well." He pretended to sound offended, earning another laugh from the press. Tom Nook came out front again, motioning for Ganondorf and Robin to leave the stage. As Robin walked from backstage, he felt a large hand on his shoulder. Ganondorf was smiling down on Robin.

"I think we're going to have a good partnership." Was all he said before walking out. Robin grinned involuntarily. As he exited backstage, he saw Lucina and Samus chatting with Lucina's family. Zelda was talking to Link, Cloud, and Bayonetta. The whole foyer was bustling with smashers and press alike.

"Dad!" He heard Morgans voice only a brief moment before being plowed over by his enthusiastic daughter. "You were awesome up there!"

"Thanks, Morgan." Robin replied.

"Yeah, who knew you could be so funny?" Robin turned around to see Cordelia and Severa catching up to them. Cordelia was smirking.

"I know, I should try it more often." Robin replied sarcastically. The pegasus knight giggled. "So … who wants to go into the city?"

There was a unison 'YES' from his two daughters, catching the attention of Lucina. The five walked over to Robin's family.

"You got room for five more?" Samus asked.

"Absolutely!" Robin replied. "Although … we should probably find Corrin and bring her too. I mean, I heard her families didn't show up at all."

"Yeah, I suppose she'll be with Marth and his wife, though." Samus replied. Robin caught a glance of Zelda and Link walking over with their new partners.

"Are you guys talking about heading into town?" Zelda asked. "We should have a celebratory dinner!"

Robin heard Severa mutter to herself, "-etting too crowded." But Lucina whispered something in her ear. Severa immediately perked up.

"I think that would be wonderful." Cordelia responded before anyone could protest. "What do you think, _darling?_ " She nudged Robin.

"Of-of course!" Robin stammered out. "I'll go find Marth."

Cordelia smiled. "I'll go find Anna, she worked so hard for us today." As she walked away, Robin called out after her.

"No switching please!" He pleaded. Cordelia held her hand to her ear, suggesting that she couldn't hear him, before disappearing into the crowd. Chrom laughed and patted his friend's back.

"It's never a dull moment with your family, my friend."

Robin grimaced, before responding. "It's a regular party."

* * *

 ** _Sorry about the wait, I had a very busy weekend. As always, your support and reviews are wonderful and appreciated!_**

Next Chapter: Partners in Thyme


	12. Partners in Thyme

**Chapter 12: Partners in Thyme**

It took the group ten minutes to find each other. By the time they reached the tram, four people had grown into thirteen. Robin and his family had been joined by Lucina and her family, Samus, Zelda, Link, Bayonetta, Cloud, Anna, Corrin, and Marth and his wife Caeda. Everyone was engaged in their own conversations, with Robin speaking in whispers with Cordelia.

"So how's working with Yuffie?"

The group looked up from their separate conversations in the tram. Cloud was looking at Anna, interest permeating his features. Anna shrugged.

"She's the only interesting one in the board, to be honest." She answered. "I feel like we're the only two that ever come up with the exciting propositions." Anna's eyes flashed with excitement.

"I know that face." Chrom noted ominously. "What are you up to?"

Anna put her hands up in mock offense. "I have no clue what you're talking about, Chrom!" She said innocently. "I was just saying that Yuffie and I really think alike. Yuffie's a bit more … hand's on, but she's got moxie!"

Cloud smirked. "Sounds like Yuffie, alright. I haven't gotten the chance to see her yet." He said. "I'm sure she'll carry that over my head for the next couple of weeks." He spoke in a higher pitched voice. "'Oh Cloud! I thought we were friends! You didn't even bring any Materia as an apology for not talking to me as soon as you got in!'" Robin chuckled. Cloud was very different from his initial impression. It almost made the interview funnier.

"Well, maybe you should show some consideration for the hard-working girls behind the scenes!" Anna said, crossing her arms and pouting. "It's a thankless job, sweetie."

Zelda rolled her eyes. "No offense, Ms. Anna, but considering the other members of the board, I doubt that you're getting nothing for your work." Zelda huffed, obviously something about the board really bothered her.

Link spoke up. "Your highness, Malo is rough, but he's a good businessman."

"He's an infant. Infants do not run businesses." Zelda retorted. "And he is ill-mannered."

"An infant?!" Anna interjected. "I thought he was cursed or something!"

"... Do I understand this correctly?"

Everyone turned to the raven-haired witch. Bayonetta looked as though she were investigating an interesting speck inbetween her fingers. "... Are you saying that one of the people paying our paychecks isn't old enough to be out of diapers?" She had a small frown. "I feel like that's a rather large oversight."

"The guy acts like a middle-aged man, to be fair." Anna replied. "He's absolutely boring!" Link shifted uncomfortably.

"How about we change the subject?" Marth suggested. He turned to Bayonetta. "I do not believe we have had the pleasure. I'm Marth, and this is my wife, Caeda." Bayonetta bowed respectfully to the two. "How have things been for you newcomers? I'm interested to hear what you have to say."

Bayonetta was the first to speak. "I must say, the weather here is marvelous! And I am looking forward to … engaging with the other smashers." She grinned as the others looked at each other nervously. "There are some rare specimens I intend to battle, you know."

"I see." Marth responded, looking at his wife with some distress. "How about you, Corrin?"

The manakete smiled. "I've been really surprised, to be honest." She replied. "I didn't expect things to be so inviting." Cloud nodded his head in agreement.

"It's much cleaner here than in Midgar, and everyone seems to be in good spirits." He commented.

"I think the way that the veterans have helped everyone has really helped us get comfortable." Lucina noted. "I'm not the most … sociable person." Several people raised their voices in protest. "It's true, and I know all of you know that." She spoke bluntly. "But … I feel accepted here, and loved, even though few of you know me."

Bayonetta chuckled. "Darling, you could become a politician!" She exclaimed. "Even when you are blunt, you speak with such elegance."

Lucina let out a subconscious giggle, putting her hand over her mouth instinctively. The others stared at her in shock. Severa looked up at the raven-haired witch.

"You really do know witchcraft." She stated in awe. "Lucy hasn't giggled like that in years." Lucina was now blushing and stammering. "It's like the full wheel of emotions!" Severa exclaimed. Bayonetta smiled and shrugged.

"It's a gift, darling. It's a gift."

* * *

"What on earth is a 'special blend of spices?'" Link looked through his menu. The restaurant they chose was at Sumia's request. The smells of earthy French food wafted through the building. Samus and Zelda looked at each other. Despite being part of the old guard, they had never been here before. Samus felt suddenly poorly dressed, in jeans and an orange blouse. Apparently Marth had taken Caeda multiple times, but they were both engaged in conversation with Chrom, Sumia, Robin, and Cordelia, so Samus couldn't really confirm that.

"I think things like Rosemary, Sage, and Thyme." Lucina offered. Link snorted.

"Pssh. You can't cook with Time." He stated, laughing. Lucina looked at Link, perplexed; Zelda rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, Link. Sometimes I think you're daft intentionally." Zelda said with exasperation.

Samus laughed, a group like this was a rarity. Cloud and Bayonetta were being peppered with questions from both the younger sisters and Corrin. The bounty hunter actually envied Morgan and Cynthia. Having that much energy would be a lovely change of pace. Lucina was attempting to explain spices to Link while Zelda and Anna switched between conversations. Of course, with the married couples talking to each other, that left …

"Figures the three _married_ couples would spend their time together, huh?" Samus turned to her right. Severa was sitting across from Lucina, and next to Link. However, she had spent the whole time making snide remarks about her parents. Lucina had been the one talking to her, but now this was clearly aimed at Samus.

"Tell me, kid." Samus finally responded. "Do you dislike your parents?" She figured she already knew the answer.

Severa blushed. "N-no." She admitted. "It's just … they're so perfect, even when they don't see each other after a year." She grumbled. "They manage to be perfectly romantic. Mother even sobs perfectly, and father is perfect in being awkward sometimes."

Samus looked at the young swordswoman. "No offense, but your dad is kinda … well, a nerd." Severa spluttered in surprise. She glared at Samus. "I do like your mom, though, but I know there's no way she's perfect."

"Yeah? Well, I'm glad you didn't have to deal with expectations from your parents." She shot out.

"My parents were murdered by pirates when I was young." Samus stated before sipping her iced tea. Severa covered her mouth in shock. By this point, Lucina had started listening as well.

"Gods, I'm so sorry." Severa managed to say. "I didn't know … "

Samus winked back. "Aw, don't upset yourself. I've learned to live with it." She responded. "It's not like I had no family. I was raised by the Chozo, which made my power armor."

"Chozo? May I ask who they are?" Lucina asked.

"Ancient race of bipedal bird-like creatures." Samus said, almost as if she were reading a textbook. "Pretty decent parents, if I say so myself. The food was never good though."

"Why's that?" Severa asked.

Samus grimaced. "Did I mention that were _bird-like_?" She asked. Severa and Lucina made faces as well when they understood what Samus meant.

"Samus!" Zelda scolded the bounty hunter. "Be disgusting after we eat, not before!"

"Lucy!" Cynthia called out. "What did you pick to eat?"

Lucina looked at her sister, confusion etched on her face. "Why do you want to know, Cynthia?" She asked.

"I'm trying to decide if I should copy you, or take the more heroic route of getting something different and trying some of your food." She answered. Lucina showed a rare disapproving look.

"I don't think 'heroic' is the right word, Cynthia." She said.

"Yeah, more like thieve-y or something!" Morgan added.

"Devious might be a better word." Bayonetta spoke, trying to be helpful. Cynthia pouted.

"Little sisters can't be devious, we're too cute." She said.

The food was just as good as Sumia had insisted it would be. Marth insisted on paying the bill for the group. Anna and Samus both immediately ordered drinks after he offered to pay.

"It would be rude to not take advan-" Samus stopped herself. "- graciously accept your kindness." She finished.

Caeda laughed. "It looks like you just cannot catch a break, dear." She gave Marth a quick peck to the cheek.

Anna laughed. "Looks like I have a kindred spirit here!" She pointed to Samus with glee.

* * *

As the group left the resaurant, they talked amongst themselves about what to do next.

"We could always watch a movie." Samus suggested. Zelda immediately shut that down.

"We can do that at the mansion for free." She said dismissively. "What we don't have is the shopping center!"

"We do that all the time as well." Marth interjected. "What we don't do very often is go to -"

"NO." Zelda yelled forcefully. "We will not do that. We will not go there."

Link smiled. "C'mon, Princess." He leaned against a light pole. "We're entertaining guests! Why shouldn't we go to-"

"I said no." Zelda was firm. "You remember what happened the last time we all indulged …"

"It was fun!" Samus insisted. Zelda gave Samus a withering look. "You're just worried that you can't handle your alcohol!"

"I-I can handle myself!" Zelda practically shouted. "But a place like that is no place for other royalty!" She motioned to Chrom.

Chrom nervously looked at the ground. "I don't think I'm exactly as proper as you would like to believe, your grace." He continued. "A tavern sounds like a fun time." Samus slapped his back.

"Zel, come on! It's always a party! I'll even call up the Double F's!" Zelda closed her eyes in frustration. Samus was only making things worse.

" _Fine._ " She finally relented. "But if someone goes to the hospital, it's on your head." She pointed at Samus threateningly.

Cloud finally spoke up, clearly frustrated. "Where on earth are we going?" Link slowly turned towards the other swordsman, grinning malevolently.

" _Saffron Street."_

* * *

Saffron Street, in of itself, was not superb or massively impressive. However, due to major contributions and backing from several major cities in Pikachu's world, there were many interesting bars, shops, and forms of entertainment.

"'Silph Co. prides itself in promoting harmony amongst cultures.'" Cordelia read a sign aloud. "What do they mean by that?"

"It means they make more money because they have something for everybody." Zelda said flatly. Samus smirked.

"Ignore her." She said, referring to the grouchy princess. "She's still upset about last year's party."

"I am NOT." Zelda retorted.

"Right, you're not upset about causing a bar fight and spending the next week in self-imposed 'exile'?"

"It was so unladylike." She finally admitted.

"Eh, second time's the charm." Samus said as the group walked into a tavern. The interior was pseudo-luxurious, with interesting art decorating the walls, and strange tile patterns on the floor. Loud music echoed throughout the establishment, and several people were on a stage, singing into a microphone. Samus smile somehow grew in size.

"Zel! It's Karaoke night! It's like a dream come true!" Samus said with glee.

" _not karaoke night …"_ Zelda muttered. "Nothing good ever happens on Karaoke night."

* * *

The night was happening just as expected. After a few drinks, Zelda had dragged Samus onto the stage. They were wailing some strange dance song that Samus had called 'classic'. Robin took another sip of his drink. He didn't know what a Russian was, but the drink was certainly good. He sat with Cordelia, Cloud, and Anna, waiting for a turn at one of the billiards tables. The four daughters had joined up with Corrin and were dancing near the stage, and Chrom and Sumia had spent much of the evening talking to Marth, Caeda, and Bayonetta. Another sip.

"So, what did you whisper to Anna and Sumia earlier today?" He asked casually. Cordelia almost spit out her drink.

"W-what, dear?" She sputtered.

"When I was posing, you said something. I didn't quite catch it." Cordelia blushed.

"That's a secret." Anna interjected. "And not appropriate at this time." Robin pouted.

"Party pooper." He muttered. Cordelia, still blushing, whispered something in Anna's ear. Both women excused themselves from the table. Robin frowned. Had he been too forward? As he grew lost in thought, he heard a small whistle. Cloud was smiling to himself.

"Robin, you are interesting." Cloud began. "You remind me of some of my friends back home."

"I'm not exactly a guilt-tossing thief, you know."

"That's one friend, and Anna already acts like her, thank you." Cloud retorted. "It's just, you always have a plan, but sometimes, you're really oblivious." Robin frowned again. "No offense meant, man."

"None taken." Robin responded. "But how am I oblivious?"

Cloud stifled a laugh. "Man, your wife has been trying to get you alone ever since we entered this bar."

Robin grimaced. _That would explain..._

* * *

"Robin, let's go up to the balcony." Cordelia had said. "I know the view must be wonderful."

"Good thinking, darling." Robin agreed. "Maybe Chrom and Sumia would like to see it as well."

"I don't-"

"SUMIA! CHROM!" Robin yelled over the music. "Would you like to go up to the balcony?"

Cordelia sighed to herself.

* * *

"It sure is a lovely evening."

"Yes, it is. And I'm so glad I'm spending it with you." Robin lifted his glass up towards Cordelia. She blushed in response.

"... We should take a walk." She finally said. "I think it would be fun." She insisted.

Robin looked unsure. "I … don't think we should leave our children out in a place like this." He responded.

"Don't be too overprotective!" Cordelia spoke out. "They can handle themselves!"

"But what if they get hurt? What if they meet a weird guy? What if …" Robin's nightmare scenarios continued, and Cordelia frowned again.

* * *

"Oh gods." Robin muttered. "I feel like a moron." Cordelia had even 'slipped' into his arms when she got Robin his drink. That should've been a dead giveaway. "What is wrong with me?"

Cloud rolled his eyes. "I think you enjoy feeling guilty. Robin, she's your wife. I'm certain she's dealt with worse." He tried to sound reassuring. "She's clearly in love with you, just pay more attention to what she does, man!"

Robin nodded his head. "Alright, but now what do I do?" Just then, the two women returned. Cordelia was now wearing a beautiful white dress with orange highlights. The dress itself was elegant, but showed a lot more skin than Robin was anticipating. She gave Robin a slightly naughty smile. Robin began to stammer. "Um C-Cordy! Y-you look great! Beaut-beautiful!"

Robin barely heard Cloud ask Anna to play him in a round of billiards. As the other two left, Cordelia sat on Robin's lap.

"Thank you, Robin." She whispered in his ear. "I bought it for you."

"I'm flattered." Robin managed to say. "But it looks better on you than me."

Cordelia laughed. Robin felt like he was melting. _Come on, Robin. Get it together!_ He thought. _You can't lose it every time you see your wife!_ Robin mentally cursed to himself as he looked at the empty glasses around him. Did they really drink that much? Cordelia grabbed his head and brought him into a deep kiss. It didn't last half as long as Robin would've liked. He saw Cordelia glare at Anna, who had made some sort of remark.

"You know, drinking tends to lead to impaired … thoughts." Robin tried to speak articulately.

Cordelia giggled. "I'm not drunk, dear!" She insisted. "I'm very buzzed! There's a big difference."

"What _did_ you say to Anna and Sumia?"

"Hmm?" Cordelia looked up at her husband. "Oh. They said to try the dangerously smart look, and I thought that …" She blushed. "Well, that's how you are in _other_ activities." Robin's face grew crimson.

Cordelia moved closer. "Listen," She whispered. "I was thinking we could … maybe enjoy a nice walk." Robin could feel her breathing on him. "And then maybe we could … _retire_ for the night?"

Robin couldn't have carried his wife out of the tavern fast enough.

* * *

"Ugh, dad and mom are so embarrassing."

Severa was trying desperately to hide her blush from Lucina. Lucina looked at her friend. Maybe it was the amount of alcohol she drank, but Severa was cute when she blushed. "What did Robin and -hic- Cordelia do?" She somehow managed to say.

Severa looked at Lucina in shock. "Did you not see the display they just pulled?!" She shouted. Lucina just giggled. "Lucy? Are you … drunk?" Severa asked.

Lucina paused. She had never _been_ drunk before, so she honestly wasn't sure. "I … think so?" She slurred out. "It's not an unpleasant, if I am." Lucina felt herself stumble into Severa's arms.

"Hey! A-a-are you okay?" Severa stammered. "I don't think you've ever been drunk." Lucina looked up at Severa, her eyes were unfocused. "Like, seriously. I think we should sit down."

Lucina felt herself tear up. _Why am I crying?_ She thought. "Yes, I think that would be bestsh." She said, slurring the last word. Severa carefully led her friend to a booth in the corner. Lucina leaned on her friend's shoulder. "Hey, Sev?" She squeaked out.

"What is it, Lucy?" Severa shifted uncomfortably. She didn't have a good history with drunk people.

"I'm really glad you're my besh friend."

"Someone needs to watch over you, apparently." Severa said, feigning annoyance. "Honestly, Lucy, I thought you'd be the last person to get drunk."

"Aw Sev, I've never been! Can't I be drunk jush thish once?" Lucina instinctively put her hand on Severa's lap. Severa attempted to brush it off. Lucina giggled.

"What's so funny?" Severa asked in an irritated voice. "Gawds, you're starting to act like my mother around … father." Severa looked at Lucina nervously. Lucina gave Severa a big smile.

"You're quite ravishing, Sev." _Why not, maybe Mewtwo had a point._ Lucina thought. "I mean, you're really really pretty, and when I'm drunk, I think I get your jokes."

Severa's face grew redder and redder. She again attempted to push Lucina off of her. Lucina leaned in, closing the gap between them.

"Whoo! Get it girl!"

Lucina shot up. Samus and Zelda were approaching them quickly. As Lucina took her hand off, Severa bolted from her seat.

"Sev, please …" Lucina pleaded with her friend, but Severa looked back, and Lucina could see the distress on her face.

"Why can't somebody flirt with me while they're sober?" She managed to hear Severa say, tears starting to flow from her eyes. With that, Severa ran out of the tavern.

"Should we follow her? Sammy, I think we screwed it up." Zelda sounded concerned, but Lucina was too shaken up to really notice.

Samus had grabbed Lucina and propped her up. "No, I think it's time we all got home." She said sadly. "Hopefully we can grab Severa on the way." Despite Lucina's mumbles of protest, Samus half-carried her out of the building.

* * *

"You're a pool shark."

"Please, that was just dumb luck." Anna responding lightly. Cloud didn't look so convinced.

"Two games? Maybe." He remarked. "But eleven? I highly doubt you're that lucky, Ms. Anna."

The duo had chosen to stay out several hours after the others had gone home. Cloud looked at his communicator. 1:24 AM blared on it's screen.

"Luck schmuck, at least we had fun." Anna dismissed. As the two entered the tram station, they found Severa sitting on a bench. Anna immediately ran to her. "Severa! I thought you had left with the others."

"Oh. Hello Ms. Anna." Severa replied glumly. "I chose to take an alternate route." She sneered a little bit, but it was quickly replaced by a deep frown. She had been crying for awhile, Anna noted.

"Sweetie, what happened?"

"Lucy … well, Lucy said some things." Severa began. "And I'm scared. I don't want to lose my best friend." She sniffed. "She's all I've had!" Severa began weeping.

As Anna comforted the young girl, Cloud sat down next to her. "Listen," He began. "I don't know Ms. Lucina very well. Well, at all, actually." He continued. "But she doesn't seem like the person to just arbitrarily hate someone."

"But I ran from her and I said some pretty terrible things."

"Eh, she probably won't remember, or she feels just as guilty." Cloud shrugged.

"Could you please take this seriously?" Severa demanded.

"I am. I just think that you're worried over nothing." Cloud retorted. The three boarded the tram, and headed home.

* * *

Peach had been having a rather rough week.

Talking to Rosalina had gone well, except for the fact that everything was topsy-turvy in her world. Her interview had gone well, but trying to train with her partner, Palutena, had ended up with her new dress becoming her back-up dress. And now, to top it all off, Zelda and Samus woke her up at midnight to make sympathy tea for a distraught Lucina. Okay, she would've done that anyways.

Maybe it was Robin. This whole week, he had been noisy at late hours. Watching film, typing away or jotting down notes. Pacing non-stop. It was enough to give a girl fits! And the one night that he's not supposed to be in, he comes back and makes more noise than before! Peach had the right to just barge in and read him his rights. _Tea first, anger second._ Peach reminded herself. She brought out a large teapot and four cups. Lucina was curled up in a blanket, red rings around her eyes. Samus and Zelda were attempting to cheer her up, but to no avail.

"Lucina, you were drunk." Zelda said. "I'm sure it meant nothing in particular."

"It felt like something, though." Lucina insisted. "And now my best friend is afraid of me!" Lucina started crying again.

Samus sighed. "Severa just needed to get some air and clear her head, Lucina." She stated. "You're overreacting."

Peach handed a cup of tea of Lucina, who murmured a small 'thanks' as she took a sip.

"Lucina, take it from a girl who knows." Peach began. "Sometimes people just need time. I needed time to deal with my love life, and maybe your friend needs some too." She got up. "Ladies, it's late for me, and I still need to yell at Robin, so I'll take my leave of you." Before she could leave, Samus grabbed her arm.

"I wouldn't recommend that, Peach." She said. "He and his wife are …" She paused, trying to find the words.

Peach's eyes went wide. "Oh! Oh." She said, realization creeping into her face. "Well, I suppose I can always wait until tomorrow..."

"I would think that's best." Zelda agreed. As she stifled a yawn, Lucina smiled.

"Please don't stay awake on my account." She said. "I'll be fine."

"Alright, Lucina. Peach, you'll have to tell me about your week sometime! Mario had mentioned it was a-" Zelda was cut off by Peach.

"-Tomorrow at lunch, dear. I'd rather not think about it right now."

Samus touched Lucina's shoulder. "We're partners now, Lucina. If you need anything-" She smiled at the young princess. "- just let me know." As Samus and Zelda went up the stairs, Lucina felt … serene. She still had to give Severa her gift, maybe they could patch things up that way.

* * *

An hour passed, and Lucina was sipping her fourth cup of tea. She didn't feel like getting any sleep, and her thoughts were too involved for her to truly relax. She heard a door open and close, and the voices of Anna and Cloud echo in the hall. Lucina didn't turn around, and they made no attempt to say hello to her.

"Lucy, what are you doing up?"

Lucina yelped in surprise. Severa had leapt over the couch and was now sitting beside her.

"I'm serious, you have a lot to do, you shouldn't spend your nights worrying about me." She was quiet, staring into Lucina's eyes.

"Sev, I'm so, so sorry." Lucina choked out. "I didn't mean to, I was just-"

"You were just drunk." Severa finished bluntly. "I noticed." She sighed and, as suddenly as she appeared, she embraced her friend. "Lucy, I don't know how sincere the drunk version of you is, but I was flattered." She smiled as Lucina returned the embrace and sobbed into her chest. "You're my best friend, Lucy. Always have been, always will be." As Lucina pulled away, she saw that Severa was crying as well. "I don't want you to think I'm mad at you. I just … I don't know."

Lucina giggled. "We're two foolish young women, aren't we?"

"Yep, two peas in the same nerdy pod." Severa said, wiping her eyes.

"Sev," Lucina began. "I have a gift for you."

Severa smiled. "We can wait, Lucy. You need rest." She helped her royal friend up from the couch. "And I'll pull up an extra bedroll so I can ensure that you got sleep." She huffed.

Lucina looked at Severa. "Just sleep in my bed." She replied. "It fits two people easily." Severa rolled her eyes.

"Only if you promise to keep your hands to yourself." She retorted, faking annoyance.

Lucina laughed. "Sev, I might be awkward, but I'll never be that awkward."

* * *

 _ **Sorry about the delay, everyone! It's been a rather hectic week for me! As always, thanks to everyone for their reviews! I'll be responding to some of them next chapter, I just didn't have time recently to read them all and really give them thought. I still really appreciate all of you readers and reviewers, it means a lot to me!**_

 _ **Next Chapter: Film Study**_


	13. Banana Smoothies and Film Study

**Chapter 13: Film Study**

Robin woke up to his alarm. He groaned as he looked at the time. 6:45 flashed a vibrant red on the display. He attempted to reach the alarm, but was beaten to it. He turned to his left, and met a wall of crimson hair. He could hear Cordelia sleepily giggle before turning to face him.

"Another hour?" She asked.

"Maybe fifteen minutes."

"Forty-five."

"You normally jump at the chance to be up early."

"I'm not usually on vacation with the love of my life." Cordelia pouted. _Right, that's where Severa gets it._ Robin thought. "Thirty minutes."

"Alright, thirty minutes." Robin smiled and cuddled up next to his wife. The snug silence was comforting, and Robin could smell cherry blossoms. Cordelia wiggled, trying to get fully comfortable, and Robin softly stroked her hair. After a few minutes, she spoke up again.

"Well, now I can't go to sleep." She pretended to whine. "Looks like we'll have to do something else ..." Before she could finish, the door to Robin's room burst open, and in walked a screaming Peach.

"DAY 7 AND YOUR BLASTED ALARM WAK-" She paused, staring at the couple, who were only covered by a couple of blankets. Peach immediately reddened in the face, stammering. "- I-I-I thought that she'd b-b-be gone by now …"

A pillow hit Peach directly in the face. Robin turned to see Cordelia picking up another pillow to continue the onslaught. She was screaming already.

"GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT" Peach ran out of the room in fearful compliance. Cordelia immediately wrapped herself up in one of the blankets and ran over to the door, locking it. "Gods, is everyone here a cretin?!" She yelled in frustration. Robin found himself laughing uncontrollably. "What's so funny, may I ask?"

Robin took a deep breath, trying to settle himself. "I can see where our children get their excitability." Cordelia rolled her eyes while moving back to the bed.

"And I can see where they get their penchant for waking me up before I want to." She muttered sarcastically, giving Robin a quick kiss on the lips. "Now, where were we?"

* * *

Samus looked up at the clock. 7:30 am. She had already been down in the main kitchen for half an hour already, making herself breakfast. As she sat down to eat, she heard the stomps of Bowser approaching the kitchen. He was engaged in what sounded like a four way argument.

"-walks in on a sleeping couple?"

"I didn't ask your opinion, Marth!" A female voice that Samus instantly knew as Peach's rang through the room. "His alarm bugs me, and who wakes up at 6:45 am on a vacation day?!"

"Most of us?" Bowser sounded cautious.

"I got up at 6 today."

"Well, good for you!" Peach burst through the door, followed by Marth, Bowser, and Ganondorf. Marth acknowledged Samus as they passed. Samus shot him a bemused smirk. "Sammy, can I sit with you?" Peach asked from the fridge. "These _idiots_ don't know what a good night's sleep is, apparently."

"Sure, Peach." Samus replied, sipping her coffee. "Wanna join us?" She asked the others pointedly.

As everyone sat down and began to eat, Samus looked at Marth.

"Honestly, Marth, I would've expected you to sleep in as well. Isn't Caeda still here?" She asked. Marth shook his head.

"She needed to leave early this morning." He replied. "If I'm not there to run the kingdom, it's her job." Samus made a noise, attempting to look impressed.

"You and Robin lucked out, man." Samus noted.

"Don't I know it." Marth remarked.

"Speaking of Robin, did you know that Peach walked in on him and his wife this morning?" Ganondorf mentioned, looking very engrossed in a cereal box. "Very poor form, if I do say so."

Samus turned to the princess. Peach was blushing heavily. "Peach, I told you Cordelia was there. What the heck?"

"I thought maybe she … went home?" Peach finished explaining lamely. "Visitors don't usually stay overnight."

"To be fair." Samus started speaking while shoving a piece of toast in her mouth. "Robin wasth in a hoshpital until the day befor-" Ganondorf glared at the bounty hunter, who swallowed and continued. "-before we left for the mansion. She barely had any time with him before we found him." Bowser nodded solemnly.

"Ah, the long distance relationship. I understand that." He said sagely.

Ganondorf guffawed. "Somehow, I think that even I know more about relationships than you, my friend." He said, before looking serious again. "Still, to be separated by death, that must be a tough thing to endure. I do not think I would want to challenge this Cordelia." Bowser snorted, though Samus could not tell what part of that forced statement made the Koopa King laugh.

Peach looked at Ganondorf in surprise. "She could hardly be any stronger than Zelda, and you're intimidated by her?"

"Oh, sorry, I forgot you people think that _The Boy who Became Wolf_ and _Static Kick_ are actual threats." He said mockingly.

"If they aren't." Marth noted. "How come they beat you?" Ganondorf's eye was twitching, but all he did was mutter.

" … they got lucky."

The door opening caught the groups attention. The other blue haired smasher walked in with Severa in tow. "And this is the kitchen, even though I've only had a couple of meals in here, I expect that I'll-" Lucina looked at the table, which housed her great-great-great-great … ancestor, her teammate, a princess, and two of the notable villains. Peach and Marth waved enthusiastically, while Samus smiled. Ganondorf looked grumpy, staring back at the cereal box, while Bowser got up to greet the two.

"Hello, youngsters!" Bowser said excitedly. "I'm Bowser, and you must be Lucina." Lucina reached out her hand, which he shook vigorously.

"The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Bowser." Lucina motioned to Severa. "This is my friend, Severa. She's Robin's daughter."

Severa stiffly held out her hand, which Bowser took as well.

"It truly is a pleasure! Robin's told us a lot about you." Bowser exclaimed. Severa smiled awkwardly.

"I'm sure." She remarked. "Daddy does like to talk." Lucina shot Severa a confused look. Bowser shrugged.

"Lucina, would you and your friend like a banana smoothie to start your day? I make a pretty good one!" The Koopa King was already heading to the fridge.

"You make banana smoothies." It was more of a statement than a question, but Samus's face showed amusement and confusion.

Bowser sneered at Samus. " _Yes_ , I do make banana smoothies. Diddy Kong taught me." He replied, getting ingredients out of the fridge. He picked out two largish bananas from the fruit bowl. As he put the ingredients in the blender, Severa and Lucina sat down at the table. As she sat down, she felt a light punch on her shoulder. She turned to a smiling Samus.

"Ready for tomorrow, kid?" She asked.

"I think so," Lucina replied, "Are we to train soon?"

"Easy, slugger. Let's enjoy breakfast first." Samus cut into her eggs. "How's the family?" She asked.

"They're doing quite well." Lucina answered. "Severa and I sent them off about half an hour ago."

"And you, Severa? When do you plan on heading home?" Samus looked at her teammate's friend. Severa crossed her arms defensively.

"Well, I sent Morgan home already. I guess I'll leave whenever _mom_ decides to leave." She replied. "Why? That desperate to get rid of me?" She was teasing, but Samus noticed Lucina's sudden discomfort.

"Well, don't expect your mother to wake up anytime soon." Peach remarked. "Looks like a _certain_ couple is celebrating a second honeym-" Ganondorf put a hand over Peach's mouth.

"What the princess is trying to say is that I think your mother and father are spending as much time as they can together." He tried to explain.

"I'm not six." Severa replied indignantly. "Also … _ewww._ " Before she could continue, a large glass of an orange-ish liquid was placed in front of her. Bowser ran back to the stove, where Lucina could hear the sizzling of bacon and eggs.

"Are you _cooking_ for them?" Peach asked incredulously. Bowser sneered back at the princess.

" _Are you cooking for them?_ " He mimicked. "That's how you sound right now. All annoying and such." Peach pouted in response. "And yes, I'm cooking for them, they're new, so they deserve it."

"You never cook for anybody!" Peach insisted.

"Apparently I do now." Bowser muttered in response. There was an awkward silence, only interrupted by the pops of cooking bacon. Severa and Lucina tried their banana smoothies. Severa made a little 'mmm' of approval.

"This is reaaally good!" She exclaimed. "I'm impressed, Mr. Bowser." Bowser smiled in response, before making a rude gesture at Peach. The princess returned the gesture, just as the door to the kitchen opened, and Zelda walked in. Zelda sighed in exasperation.

"How improper." Was all she said as she sat down. "Bowser, may I ask for some of that breakfast?" Bowser nodded to the other princess, which made Peach groan in frustration. As Bowser served the breakfast, Zelda turned her attention to Lucina and Severa. "And how goes the day for you two?" She asked. Severa shrugged before beginning to eat.

"It's going well. I plan on training some more today, but I'm not sure what else there is to do." Lucina replied, eyeing her friend with amusement. Severa looked back at her friend.

"Ugh, alright. The morning was very nice, and now I'm just waiting for _mother_ and _father_ to get up." She returned to eating her food.

"Do … you have problems with your parents?" Peach asked, hesitantly.

Samus waved her off. "She's always like that. She's really sweet once you get past the whole _I hate everyone_ thing." Zelda involuntarily giggled, earning a look from both Lucina and Severa.

"I'm still here, you know!" Severa shouted.

"I'm sorry," Samus replied. "I just think it's adorable how hard you try to be independent, is all."

" _Try?_ I succeed, thank you _very much._ " Severa said bluntly. She quickly got up. "Thank you for the meal, Mr. Bowser, it was _delicious._ " She stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Lucina heard Bowser whistle.

"Well, she's a firecracker, isn't she?" He remarked. "Lucina, is she always this … intense?"

Lucina shook her head. "No, something's wrong. She wouldn't talk to me this morning, either. She's been rather … distant." She frowned. "Maybe what I did last night is still …" She caught Samus putting her finger to her mouth in a 'shush' motion.

Peach sighed. "Lucina, I doubt that that's the only thing bugging her." She got up from her seat. "But maybe she needs to talk to someone other than you at the moment." As Peach left the room, she turned around at the door. "Seriously, though. Don't beat yourself up, Lucy dear." And with that, she made her exit.

Samus heard Ganondorf laugh to himself. "What's so funny?" She asked, more aggressively than she intended. The Gerudo looked up from the cereal box, a look of amusement on his face.

"I feel like an old man." He noted. "Every tournament brings in new people with seemingly more and more simple problems. Marth was still trying to build an army to fight his best friend in the first tournament we were in, and now he's married!" Marth raised an eyebrow, looking up from his breakfast.

"You are an old man, Ganondorf." He responded. "You're just roundabout with your miserly ways."

"Old? I'll have you know that I feel a sprightly 140 years!" Ganondorf exclaimed. "I mean, I've been sealed what, Zelda, four times?" He looked at the Hylian princess. Zelda shifted uncomfortably. Even after two years of Ganondorf trying to be nice, Zelda clearly had problems with him.

"... _three_ , according to legend." She replied curtly. Ganondorf clapped his hands once.

"What's one sealing amongst friends?" He said brightly. "And anyways, just because I don't know what the children of today like, doesn't mean I'm out of touch."

"I'm pretty sure that's exactly what that means, big guy." Samus replied. Ganondorf pouted.

"Well, no one asked you."

"Still having trouble with the cereal box puzzle?"

" _ **It's tougher than it looks!**_ "

* * *

It had taken Peach several minutes to find Lucina's friend. People didn't act like it, but there was a real danger of someone ending up where they shouldn't. The mansion was large and confusing, and Master Hand enjoyed moving rooms at a whim. As she made a pass by the gym, she came across Pikachu. The yellow Pokemon was wearing a sweatband and drinking casually out of a water bottle.

"Pikachu! Have you seen a teenage girl pass by?" Peach said, running up to the electric mouse. Pikachu looked quizzical, before moving his ears like pigtails. "Yeah! She has pigtails! You saw her?" Pikachu nodded quickly, moving down the hallway, leading Peach to a small balcony at the end of several sharp turns. Leaning over the railing stood Severa, looking out at the morning sky. Pikachu jumped up next to her, and she gave the Pokemon a hug.

"Lucy, did you know that mommy and daddy met on a balcony? Both of them do their best thinking in the open, I guess." Peach opened her mouth to respond, but Severa continued. "Lucy, I'm sorry I've been so … angry. I guess I just don't want to lose you as a friend."

"I think it's wonderful that you feel that way, but I'm not Lucina." Peach replied. Severa swiveled around, flushed.

"Y-you?! Why are you here?" She stammered out. "Where's Lucy?!"

"Lucina is still in the kitchen." Peach answered. "I told her to stay." She walked towards Severa. "Want to tell me why you think your friendship with Lucina is at risk?" Severa gave her a withering look.

"That's none of your business." Severa snapped.

"Does it have to do with last night?" Peach inquired.

" _ **What did Lucy tell you?**_ " Severa could peel paint with her screech. " _ **She's lying!**_ "

Peach backed up slightly. "Easy, tiger! All I know is that Lucina got drunk and made you feel … awkward." She explained. Severa took a deep breath.

" … oh. Um …" Severa's cheeks reddened. "Just … ignore what I just said." Peach raised her eyebrow, but didn't say anything. "It's just that … Lucy and I have been friends for a long time. And I'm worried that I ruined it."

Peach looked concerned. "Zelda told me that you two patched it up last night."

"Yeah, but I still feel like garbage." Severa admitted. "I wasn't there for my best friend when she needed me, and now I ran off again." Peach sighed. _Like a lightning rod for drama._ She thought.

"Look," Peach grabbed Severa's shoulder. "Lucina wants to be friends, and you want to be friends. I think she's already forgiven you." In one quick motion, she grabbed a handful of Severa's shirt, and began dragging her inside.

"W-w-w-what are you _doing?!_ " Severa screamed.

"I'm helping you forgive!" Peach declared. "Move your butt!"

"You don't sound like a royal at all!" Severa yelled, struggling against the princess's surprising grip.

* * *

"I've been gone far too long."

Robin looked at the clock. It was now 8:30 am. He and Cordelia lay, covered in blankets, snuggling with each other. The pegasus knight giggled.

"It's been awhile." She agreed. She nuzzled her face into his chest. "I really missed you."

"I missed you too." Robin said, stroking his wife's hair. "I almost regret agreeing to be in this tournament."

"To be fair, we wouldn't have found you without Samus or Zelda."

"I suppose I owe them that much." He gave Cordelia an awkward hug. She leaned in for a small kiss.

"I suppose one of us will have to go take a shower and get dressed." She finally muttered.

"You know, we could always …" Robin began to suggest, but Cordelia shook her head.

"If we don't act mature here, we'll be stuck here all day!" She kissed him again. " … But I appreciate the effort." She walked towards the bathroom. "I'll make sure to save you some hot water."

" … Is _that_ a euphemism?"

* * *

The shower was steaming, and several mirrors were foggy. Robin looked at himself in the mirror. He was still a little small compared to what he was used to seeing, but he had healed nicely over the last two weeks. He could hear Cordelia humming a familiar tune in the other room whilst getting dressed. He smiled to himself. Another couple of months was worth the wait, especially since they could still be in contact. As he entered the shower, he could hear someone else entering the room. Robin put his ear to the shower wall. He could make out two voices, one male and one female.

" … Robin in here?"

" … taking a shower …"

" … film room in three ..."

" … sure to tell …"

Admittedly, it was very difficult to hear the full conversation, but Robin could hear enough to tell that it was Ganondorf introducing himself to Cordelia. Despite the other smasher's wariness, Robin had seen nothing but politeness from him. A past is the just a past, as he himself knew. People can change for the better, and he was willing to give someone a second chance.

"So … apparently you have to meet your partner in the 'Film Room' in three hours." Cordelia was reading the Hylian texts that he had procured at the library.

Robin sat down next to his wife. "What do you think of him?"

"Hmm?"

"What do you think about Ganondorf?" Robin repeated.

Cordelia sighed. "Robin, I trust your judgement. If you think he's okay, then he is."

"But what do _you_ think?" He insisted.

Cordelia was silent for a moment. "I'm not sure." She admitted. "I'm not as in-tune with the spiritual aspect of things as others, but he gives me …" She frowned. " … he makes me uneasy."

Robin nodded. "Then I'll be careful. But I am going to give him a chance. I was destined to be something terrible as well, and I became something more."

"I know, and I know you'll be careful." Cordelia replied, giving him a hug. "And I won't dissuade you from doing what you want." Robin looked at her. There was a silent 'but' in there. "I'm still going to worry, you know." She finished.

Robin gave her a small kiss. "I know, dear. I won't risk it." He stood up. "I'm sure Severa and Morgan are waiting for us."

"Well," Cordelia shifted nervously. "I got a message while you were in the shower. Apparently Chrom asked Morgan to come with him, given her new position as Grandmaster of Ylisse." Robin frowned.

"Chrom really knows how to push my buttons, huh?" He grumbled.

"Sumia did mention that he enjoys it." Cordelia smiled at Robin. She got up as well. "Shall we?"

* * *

Severa was waiting by a portal, impatiently tapping her fingers. Samus and Lucina had helped her gather her luggage, and were now waiting with her.

"I'm sorry, honey! We didn't mean to keep you waiting." Cordelia and Robin turned the corner into the portal hangar, walking at a brisk pace. Severa scowled and turned away.

"It's _fine._ I was looking for an excuse to just relax, anyways." She sounded angry, but she gave Robin a sly smile. Robin rolled his eyes.

"Severa, it's not nice to guilt trip your mother." He said.

"Nobody is guilt-tripping anyone!" Severa insisted. "I'd just like to know when my parents are going to be abnormally late, is all."

Robin smiled, giving Severa a big hug. Samus walked over to the portal, pressing several buttons on a panel. The gate lit up, and once again filled with viscous-looking gel.

"I'll call you every night, if you want me too." Robin told Severa. Severa beamed back at her father.

"I appreciate it, daddy." She responded. "But I think Morgan and Mommy would appreciate it more."

Robin turned to Cordelia. She grabbed his collar suddenly, pulling him into a deep kiss. As they separated, he heard Samus give a lighthearted chuckle.

"That's so you don't do anything stupid to hurt yourself." Cordelia said with a possessive tone.

"Aw, so you do care."

"Alright, lovebirds." Samus stated. "It's time your family got home." Cordelia blushed as the two broke their embrace. Cordelia grabbed her luggage, and turned to face Robin.

"Take care of yourself, and I'll see you soon." She said, wiping a tear from her eye.

"I love you too, Cordy." Robin responded. And Cordelia entered the portal. Robin then turned towards his daughter. Severa gave him another hug. "Take care of mother for me, won't you?" He asked.

Severa nodded. She turned to Lucina. "Lucy, take care of dad. He tends to think about everyone but himself."

Lucina smiled. "I'll try, Sev." She paused, before pulling out a bag she had hidden under her cape. "I also got you this."

Severa opened the bag, pulling out the dress Lucina had bought earlier. "It's – it's …" Lucina looked at the ground. _Oh, so she hates it._ She thought.

"It's wonderful, Lucy." She gave her friend a hug. "It's perfect."

Lucina was stunned, taking a few seconds before returning the hug. "I'm glad you like it." She finally said. "Please come visit. It'll get dull without all of my friends around."

Severa scoffed. "Dull?" She practically shouted. "I don't things can get dull around here! But I will come visit when I can …" She paused. " … just as a friendly visit, not for any other reasons!"

As she left through the portal, Samus walked over to the other smashers. "Well, now we can finally get to business, Lucina!" She said, leading Robin and Lucina out of the portal room. "Ganondorf, Falco, and Peach rented out the film rooms, so I guess we'll do some Wire Frame training in the meantime." Lucina nodded in response, giving a Robin a silent thumbs up as they went their seperate ways.

* * *

"Film room … film room …" Robin looked down the main training hall, checking doors for signs. He finally reached three doors, reading film room 1, 2 and 3. _Great, a 1 in 3 chance to not embarrass myself._ He mentally berated himself. He reached for the door marked '2'.

As he opened it, all he could see was a projection on one wall. The harsh light from the projector failed to break through the blackness of the room. He could see one silhouette at the table, and it had similar hair to …

"Ah, Robin!" Ganondorf's voice cut through the inky dark. "Please come in!" Robin let out a sigh of relief. As he closed the door behind him, he looked at the screen. On it was a moving image of Princess Peach. Robin took a seat at the table, and took a pen and pad of paper that Ganondorf slid over to him.

"So … what are we looking at here?" Robin motioned to the wall.

Ganondorf looked up. "Film on Peach. The tournament seedings came out this morning, and we're facing her and Palutena."

"The goddess, huh?" Robin looked back at the screen. "So why don't we have any film on her?"

"We barely have any film on any of the newcomers." Ganondorf answered. "We have film on Little Mac, Shulk, and Bayonetta, and half of that is from grainy security cameras."

"How much information do we have?" Robin asked.

"We have film on Peach, and we have this-" Ganondorf pulls out a thick leather-bound book. "-for Palutena." He slid the book over to Robin, who immediately flipped through it. It had a list of powers, the ideas behind them, the tactics that her people used …

"This is brilliant." Robin muttered to himself. "We can use this." Ganondorf perked up.

"Are you serious?" He asked. Robin nodded.

"We may not know much about Palutena, but we know how she leads, and her basic moves. I can figure out how she would use these moves in a smaller setting." Robin was still flipping through the book. "So what does film give us that this doesn't?"

Ganondorf whistled appreciatively. "Well, for you, I'm not sure, but maybe you should see yourself." He unpaused the film. Peach was facing off against Falco. Falco was winning, but Peach was hanging on. Robin stood up, taking his notebook with him. As he looked on, he saw Peach recovering with her parasol, attacking with a variety of moves in the air, and making a furious comeback.

"Pause it."

Ganondorf complied, watching as Robin quickly scribbled on his notepad.

" … leap into a mid-air swipe … good counter speed … range on the ground, not in air …" He put down his notebook. "Ganondorf, do you have anything with Peach fighting you?"

"I do, but why me?"

"I want to see if she does something different when facing someone who's slower." He said.

Ganondorf flipped through the films, finding the correct one. "Here." He turned on the projector again. Peach once again appeared on the wall. The fight itself was uneventful. Ganondorf was no match for Peach's speed. However, Robin noticed something in the way she fought.

"I've got them." Ganondorf heard the tactician whisper. "I have _got_ them." He began to gather his notes, and grabbed the book on Palutena. "We need to go to the wire frame room." Robin said excitedly.

"Why's that?" Ganondorf asked. "What are you planning to do?"

Robin turned around dramatically at the entrance. "Why, Ganondorf. We're going to learn how to juggle!"

* * *

The wire frame room was large in size, white in color, and cold in atmosphere. Robin and Ganondorf stepped in, as the sounds of their feet echoed in the perfectly square room. Ganondorf headed to a small console at the doorway.

"How many wire frames do we need?" He asked.

Robin looked at the room. "Just two." He called back. "And can you make them just throw me to each other?"

"What?" Ganondorf asked.

"Just trust me." Robin retorted. "Can you do it?" The Gerudo nodded, and placed the appropriate keystrokes. Two strange looking humanoid figures materialized around Robin. One roughly grabbed Robin, and the two frames began to toss him between them.

"Alright, Ganondorf!" He shouted inbetween grunts. "I need you to-" Toss. "-Move to the right of frame 2!" Toss "I need you to throw-" Toss. "A strong-" Toss. "-Punch!"

"Whatever you say, Robin." Ganondorf replied, getting into position. As he charged his punch, the wire frame began to turn, instinctively dodging the more immanent danger. The warlock punch was strong, but Ganondorf knew that it's speed was it's weakness. Usually people dodged and got a good counter in. Ganondorf braced for the inevitable punch to the chin.

The sound of shearing metal echoed throughout the chamber. Ganondorf felt the wire frame hit his fist for a moment, then looked up. Both wire frames were shattered against the wall. As he stared, he heard scribbling and a low whistle.

"That might be _too_ powerful." Robin noted. "But the theory is sound."

Ganondorf looked at his partner. "What did you do?!" He blurted out. Robin gave a sly grin.

"Simple." He said dramatically. "I just used my momentum to force the two opponents into a specific trajectory."

"In layman's term?" Ganondorf asked.

"I juggled the jugglers."

* * *

 ** _Thank you all for your patience! I had two music conventions I was attending the last two weeks, so I haven't had the chance to really write and edit._**

 ** _Now for the responses I promised!_**

 _ **Guest from Feb 24th: Peach's Tea Party with Rosalina will be looked at pretty soon! Peach likes to exaggerate, so I thought that story would be funnier if she told it to someone.**_

 ** _Robotortoise: Thank you so much for your feedback! As for Female Robin and Male Corrin, I don't think we'll see them ... not in the sense you're thinking of, at least._**

 ** _Guest from Mar 1: You have 5 of the 6 characters, but I think the last person is important to keep secret._**

 ** _Guest from Feb 10: I really loved this review, it really got me thinking about my writing and how to improve it, and the subsequent reviews from everyone have kept me going through a busy schedule. Knowing that people like my ideas is cool, and I love learning about what I can do to improve my writing to convey those ideas in a better way._**

 ** _Garben the Berserker: Yeah, I had to look it up, since I haven't played games with Marth in it for a long time, and I wasn't sure about the role Naga played in those stories. However, I intended for that to show how little Peach actually focuses on what people actually are, and how she's more about what she believes them to be. (ex. Bowser, Rosalina) But looking at the chapter again, I can see how it looks like I'm stating a fact. I'll edit that soon!_**

 ** _As for everyone else, I love your reviews just as much! As always, thanks for reading, and comments and reviews are appreciated and loved!_**

 ** _Next Update will be Friday or Saturday_**

 ** _Chapter 14: Zelda and Strife_**

 ** _Edit: Good catch, guest! I didn't notice that mistake earlier. Fixed now!_**


	14. Zelda and Strife

**Chapter 14: Zelda and Strife**

The scratching of pencils on paper dampened the low hum of a digital projector. A martial artist was upon the screen, striking multiple foes without much difficulty. Zelda's worried expression was glued to the scene. This was Ryu, a martial arts champion that had saved the world with little more than his fists. Zelda wiped away a fleck of sweat from her brow. She had assumed, by drafting Cloud, she would automatically get a high seed in the tournament. When she got the news that their team was a lowly 8 seed, she was stunned. _And Peach got a 2 seed!_ Zelda's hands balled into fists. _Life is incredibly unjust!_

"Yo, you're gonna crumple your notes, your majesty." Zelda looked at her counterpart disapprovingly. Cloud had gone through a whole notebook on Ryu already, and was starting a new one. All that came out of the man's mouth was the occasional "mhm", which was starting to aggravate her. He was so calm, even when it was obvious they were outmatch. Cloud looked at her, amused. "You know, if you look like that tomorrow, we're probably gonna lose."

"What?" Zelda was taken aback by Cloud's words. "What's wrong with how I look?"

Cloud motioned around his face. "You look shellshocked." He attempted to imitate her expression. The resulting face made Zelda frown even more. Surely she didn't look so … "Can't lose before we enter the arena, right?" Cloud finished his statement. He went back to watching more film of Ryu. Zelda looked back on the screen. It was hard to figure out his weaknesses. He could fight in the air, he was fast, and he seemed to know where opponents were coming from. Zelda heard another sigh from Cloud's direction. She glared, daring him to say something. He rolled his eyes. "It's like you're not even _trying_ to look for a weakness!" He finally said.

"Find me a weakness, then." Zelda retorted. Cloud paused the video, standing up from his seat.

"Gladly." He coolly replied, walking over to the screen. He pulled out a small pen-like device, and proceeded to play some more tape. "Ryu is very fast and strong," He began. "I'll give you that. But, he's very bad at covering his back." Cloud paused the tape. Ryu was throwing a fireball, but Zelda noticed something in his eyes. Those eyes were very familiar, focused on a singular target. Much like a wolf hunting prey through the woods. "You see? If we can force him into instinctual behavior, he'll move into a one-on-one fight." Cloud explained. "All we have to do is deal with McCloud after that."

"Smart, but how do we do either of those?" Zelda knew Fox well. And as confident as Cloud was, it wasn't going to be as easy as he claimed it would be. Cloud opened his mouth to speak, but quickly shut it. He walked over to his notes, flipping through page after page. Zelda leaned over the table, trying to peek at what he was looking for. However, when Cloud found the page he was looking for, he turned the notebook over to her. The pages had a drawing of someone clad in dark blue, walking on rooftops. Zelda looked up at Cloud. "It's a lovely drawing, what of it?" She asked, semi-casually. Cloud smirked, though his eyes maintained their razor-sharp focus and steel color.

"My friend is a member of the board." Cloud explained. "She also enjoys sneaking around and learning about everyone." Zelda sneered. Cloud noticed and waved an arm, seemingly dismissing her expression. "She's a bit of a gossip, but pretty harmless." He paused, gauging Zelda's reaction. She looked impassive, eyes revealing nothing. "She found a neat little thing about someone called 'Sheik'." Zelda got up from her chair, cold fury etched in her expression. She saw a brief look of hesitation in Cloud's face. True, she had once gallivanted about, but that was a long time ago, back when she wasn't a member of the ever expanding round table.

"I was young then, Cloud."

"You're still young."

"Immature, then." Zelda countered. "Blinded by the need to do more than I could, even though I had all the power I ever needed." She sighed, before turning towards the exit. Cloud may have meant well, and she did want to win, but "Sheik disappeared two years ago, and I'd prefer if she stayed that way."

* * *

 _"Zelda, this cannot continue."_

 _The princess sighed. Frustration was evident in her expression. She was currently in a meeting with five other men, four of which were old, curt, and stiff as a board. The fifth was the young Zora Prince, Ralis, who's countenance oozed with young nervousness and a lack of political savvy. All in all, these meetings were ones that Zelda dreaded. "I honestly have no clue about what you're referring to, your lordship." Zelda managed to say as politely as possible._

 _"This running about as this 'Sheik' character!" The first lord shouted out. "You need to focus yourself on the Hylian people!"_

 _"I'm as dedicated as I can be." Zelda retorted. "And Sheik has done great things as well."_

 _"We have Link! And the Peacemakers! And soldiers!" The second lord interjected, slamming his hand on the table for emphasis. "This is no job for a princess!" Zelda slammed her own fist on the table. Ralis looked at Zelda in shock._

 _"It is **my** duty as princess to make sure my people are **safe**!" She bellowed. "This meeting is over!" The lords grumbled, but slowly complied, exiting one by one. As the last one was about to leave, he turned himself to face the Princess. Zelda recognized the portly gentleman as the lord from Ordon, even though he preferred 'mayor'. He looked tired and worried._

 _"Zelda, I implore you to reconsider." He begged. "Ordon won't revolt, but the citizens in the Castle Town grow restless." Zelda took a deep breath._

 _"Sheik has done no harm, and I feel as though she was a help in this society." Zelda retorted._

 _"I just want you to know that our camaraderie isn't bought, but others are. And with the world still reeling from the war with Ganondorf. Do you think that the people want another 'hero'?" Zelda shifted nervously. "I just want you to think this decision through, Milady." The portly gentleman took a bow, and left the room. Zelda paced in the room. Deep in her heart, she thought that Sheik was an integral part of her life, apparently most others didn't agree._

 _"Maybe it's time to retire Sheik." Zelda said aloud, as the bustle of the Hyrule Castle Town echoed from below._

* * *

Robin opened the window in his room. The cool night air trickled in, clearing the smells of musty books and ink from his nose. The moon shone brightly, illuminating Robin's exhausted face. Cordelia had gotten home safely, and Severa had met up with Morgan to go out into town. Robin was worried about Morgan, he had hardly had time to say goodbye to her, and wasn't sure how she would take it. The two had been nearly attached by the hip while he was the Grandmaster of Ylisse, and now that he returned, he felt … distance. It was uncomfortable to say the least. Robin paused. There was a soft thump, a few rooms back. However, though that was the lateral distance, the sound had come from above. Another light thud, followed by small scratching sounds. Robin leaned out the window, looking towards the roof. He grunted in frustration: nothing. Robin ran over to his bookshelf. He pulled out an Elwind tome.

"Well, if you can't beat 'em …" He muttered, slowly climbing out the window. Robin opened the tome. He felt a spring breeze on his face, ice water down his spine, and the heat of a pyre in his chest. Even though he was successful training with Ganondorf, using wind magic to fly was a theory at best. He aimed himself above the roof. _Elwind-_ His thoughts were interrupted by sensation of his feet lifting off the ground. He spun in the air once, twice, three times, before landing heavily on the roof. Robin felt the air leave his lungs. _Alright, test two is a failure …_ he thought. As he regained his bearings, he heard several voices. Robin immediately flattened himself against the roof, listening in.

"-hear that? We should go check it out."

"No need, I doubt it's anything of consequence."

"Yeah, a large thump is nothing of note." Sarcasm, _nice._

" **We should check it out**." A new voice, gruff. Robin could tell it was attempting to disguise itself. He heard footsteps approaching slowly. He cursed to himself. _So much for spying …_

" _Sir Robin, spying is considered rude, you know."_ Robin froze. There was a voice right next to his right ear. The whisper drifted into the breeze. If he didn't know better, he would've guessed that Gaius had paid him an unwelcome visit. " _Do you need help?_ "

"What do _you_ think?" Robin hissed. He may have been mistaken, but the voice was familiar, and for a brief second, he saw a braid of blonde hair from his periphery. "Am I in trouble?"

" _Probably not, but I don't think you'd appreciate being called a spy in your first year._ " The footsteps were now nearing the ridge. Robin finally turned to face the origin of the voice. He saw bright blue eyes and a blonde braid. He blinked, and he heard several footsteps leaving his location. She was already gone, and several frantic voices followed behind. Robin took a deep breath. Maybe testing Elwind should be saved for another night.

* * *

Zelda sat in her room. The meeting with Cloud was useful, but she left unsatisfied. The mention of Sheik was unnerving, to say the least, and now the moon was shining into her room. The light reflected off her desk, and it helped her reminisce. Things were better now, but sometimes she missed the freedom that being Sheik brought. The late night meetings, rooftop excursions, the strange feelings of individualism …

She paused. _Why not?_ Zelda thought. She approached her closet. She felt the cool blue fabric. It felt the same as usual; it felt … clean. As she put it on, she closed her eyes, breathing in the smell of the fabric. It felt good. It felt good on her skin, it felt good to braid her hair again, and it felt … _right._ The mask finished the transition. Time for a rooftop exploration.

The cool breeze caressed Zelda's face. She loved how free her Sheik outfit felt, the dress was so constricting. She sneered at the thought of all of her advisors. They told her that her duties as a princess necessitated the death of Sheik. She mentally kicked herself. She _believed them_. _What an idiot._ She thought. Zelda snarled, the sounds muffled by her mask. She lifted herself out of her room, flipping gracefully onto the rooftop. Zelda let out a sigh of relief, as she moved from a jog into a sprint.

With every jump, Zelda felt herself shed another layer of her royal facade. It was strange. As Zelda, she constantly worried about saying the right things, about her royal image. As Sheik, it's just her, the wind, and the rooftops. As she landed, she heard a loud thump. Zelda whipped around. She saw a prone figure a roof away. In the moonlight, she also caught a glimpse of three other figures. One was obviously Metaknight, or Kirby wearing some strange apparatus. The other two were much harder to discern. She focused her attention towards the prone figure. They had moved, crawling on their belly. One of the standing members had started moving towards the figure. Zelda took a quick leap, and in a few bounds, she found herself laying next to none other than Robin. She smiled to herself. The chance to intimidate Robin is a rare treat.

" _Sir Robin, spying is considered rude, you know."_ She whispered in his ear. She felt Robin's body stiffen in fear. Oh, how she missed doing this. _"Do you need help?_ " She decided to ask.

"What do _you_ think?" She heard him hiss. Zelda frowned. He didn't need to be so rude about it. "Am I in trouble?"

Zelda thought about it for a second. " _Probably not, but I don't think you'd appreciate being called a spy in your first year._ " She looked down at him, and she was startled to see his eyes meeting hers. Robin was a nice man, and a family man, but his eyes. His eyes burned with eternal fire. Zelda shook herself. The footsteps were approaching. Zelda set herself in a sprinter's position, and pushed off. In a brief second, she caught a glance of Metaknight in the moonlight.

And then she was on the next rooftop.

* * *

As Zelda snuck into her room, she flopped onto the bed, removing her mask. Her hair was unkempt and messy, her breathing labored. But she felt great. She held a smile of triumph as she thought about what she did. Maybe … maybe Cloud was right. Zelda was still young, and Sheik was not dead. She raised both arms in the air, victorious.

"... That was the _best._ "

"I imagine so, it was the loosest I've ever seen you."

Zelda shot up. In the windowsill sat Metaknight, his eyes glowing with the moonlight. Zelda covered herself with a blanket instinctively.

"You seemed happy out there, and don't worry about Robin, I didn't tell anyone about his spying." Metaknight continued. "It was nice to see you on the rooftops again."

Zelda shrugged. "It felt good." She admitted. "I missed doing this kind of stuff."

"To be honest, I never understood why you stopped." Metaknight responded. "Just because some stuff old advisors told you?" Zelda huffed in protest. "They don't control your destiny." He moved around, facing the outside. "Please, consider the return of Sheik. I may be selfish, but I enjoyed our talks in the darkness of midnight." And with a flurry of his wings, Metaknight was gone.

Zelda slowly lifted herself up, locking the window. She went back to the bed, reclining. For now, she'd just sleep in her clothes.

* * *

 _ **Sorry about the long wait again. I'm finally in Spring Break, so now I can edit the next two chapters in a good timely manner.**_

 _ **This chapter is shorter than usual, but the next couple of chapters are starting to get into the depth of the story, so I wanted this to be separate.**_

 _ **As always, I love getting Reviews, comments, and criticism! Thanks to everyone for their patience, and let me know what you think!**_

 _ **Next Chapter: Opening Day! Ganondorf and Robin vs Peach and Palutena**_


	15. Team Ganondorf vs Team Peach

**Chapter 15: Team Ganondorf vs Team Peach**

* * *

Twenty-three.

Robin gritted his teeth in determination. He could feel his muscles, straining and screaming from reprieve. His normal regimen was still not quite attainable, though logic dictated that a half-regimen was already stretching his body to the limit. War had made it necessary to keep in shape, and Frederick's psychotic regimens were finally paying off. Once more, Robin lifted his body, dragging himself over the bar.

Twenty-four.

Robin paused. He was facing away from the door, but he could feel the presence of someone beyond it's portal. He let himself down gently, turning towards the door. Ganondorf walked through, followed closely by Anna. Anna had fully embraced her role as a board member, apparently, wearing a smart looking business suit with medium length skirt. She was berating Ganondorf, and the Gerudo King was very unamused. He turned to Robin, eyes dulled from annoyance.

"Robin, help me out here." He stated grimly. "Your little … friend here keeps talking about 'image' and other words I care nothing about." Anna huffed in annoyance. She tapped her clipboard fervently, Ganondorf twitching with every rat-tat-tat. Robin noted that Anna grinned while this occurred.

"I'm your _image consultant_ and a _member of the board_ , Big G, and I'd like to have the respect I deserve." She retorted. Robin knew she didn't give a damn about respect, it was likely another way to press Ganondorf's many proverbial buttons.

"Seems like both of you are at each other's end." Robin commented. "Anna, you have concerns?"

"Concerns doesn't cover it, Robby!" Anna exclaimed. Robin grimaced. Anna's nickname was nearly as annoying as Gaius's, and had the misfortune of being much easier to remember and say. Anna knew it too. "Robin, Robin, Robby-Rob. Do you guys understand that neither of you are exactly … endearing to the crowd?" Robin raised an eyebrow, while a strange cackle was heard from Ganondorf's direction.

"Endearing isn't exactly a word I thought would be found in gladiatorial combat." Robin said cautiously. Anna looked down at her clipboard, studying some strange near-illegible scribble.

"Endearing is the goal, but marginally likable would be a good start." was the retort.

Robin pretended to look hurt. "Anna, look at me! I'm the epitome of marginally likable!" He ruffled his hair and gave a lopsided grin. Anna grinned and punched his shoulder.

"A for effort, kid. I'll up your grades." Her burgundy hair framed an exhausted but humored face. "But the real problem is the introduction."

"Introduction."

"Yeah, a thing to 'pump up the crowd' while you get into the arena." Anna answered, now distracted by a message on her communicator. She groaned in annoyance. "And little raccoon boy wants to approve it."

"Do you mean a song?" Robin was quizzical. Even after the frequent musical lessons with Maribelle and Cordelia, intricacies like musical psychology were slightly beyond him. "Do you have suggestions?"

"I've never bothered with anything outside of Gerudo music, myself." Ganondorf interrupted.

Anna crossed her arms, pouting slightly. "How about something accessible to the masses?" She retorted. She rubbed her temples in exasperation. Robin noted the bags under her eyes. Despite the lighthearted attitude she took, this was definitely starting to wear her down. "Seriously, we have, like, three hours here."

Robin walked up to Anna. "Why don't you just take a rest, go through some options with us, and we can work through it." He softly reassured her. A rattled sigh came through, and Anna's whole body seemed to vacate.

"Cordy was right, you really do know how to provide support." Anna said. Ganondorf's mocking laughter only served to deepen Robin's blush.

"Anna, I'm not sure that was meant to be shared information-" Robin began. He felt two strong arms upon his shoulders, and the sensation of losing balance. He crashed into a nearby seat. Ganondorf sat himself a few feet to his right. Anna pulled up a seat as well, wiping her hands, clearly satisfied with herself. Robin was unamused. "-So, what are our options here?"

* * *

The robe itself was nothing special. It was a ratty old thing, the deep regal purple beginning to fade, nothing more than an ephemeral memory imprinted in cloth. It was the little metaphors like that kept Robin attached to such old things. It sounded better than 'sentimental' or 'old fashioned'. Besides, it made Robin feel comfortable. He had spent most of his time in the mansion wearing various clothes that Anna had provided, but his robe deserved an audience. The golden designs reflected off of the harsh electric light, shimmering like the ocean at sunset. He smiled to himself.

Ganondorf was waiting outside of his room. As Robin exited, he made a not-so-subtle attempt at casually matching Robin's pace. He was wearing much of the same, but his crimson hair was now ornately done. Robin groaned internally: even Ganondorf had somehow managed to out-dress him. As the duo entered the main foyer, he noticed some interesting changes in décor. The walls, usually shades of crème and eggshell, were now decorated in gaudy pinks, greens, purples, and golds. The purple and gold were opposite a pink and chartreuse striped nightmare on the other wall.

"What a lovely shade of green." Robin heard Ganondorf remark. "It works so well with the pink." Robin stared at his teammate, a sense of worry coming over him. _Figures that Lucina couldn't be the only one with terrible color sense._ He thought. "I am partial to the Purple and Gold, myself." Ganondorf finished.

"At least we can agree on that."

"Speaking of purple, quite an interesting robe you have. Old?"

"Well-used, not old." Robin corrected. "Old is a word best used for food and people, not clothes."

"Especially for those who defend 'vintage' clothing, I suppose?"

"You suppose correctly." With that, Robin and Ganondorf reached a small room. The room was no bigger than a bedroom, and had several small cubicles. Ganondorf took a seat in the nearest cubicle, beckoning Robin over. He joined his teammate. The Gerudo pressed several buttons on a small panel on the cubicle siding. The panel underneath their feet began to glow white. As Ganondorf began to glow as well, he turned to Robin.

"Don't think too hard while you're in the tunnel." His being had become both present and incorporeal, a shadow and reflection, and then he was gone. And so was Robin. As he floated in the void, he heard various whispers and ethereal wails, pleading with him. This was much different than what Zelda and Samus described portal travel. It was unnerving, but also restful and peaceful. The wailing became more focused, and Robin could see distant visions, an oasis in the void. A glowing sword, lusting for blood. A crimson teardrop, splashing into the dark blue ocean. A crown shattered, lying in snow. Cordelia, eyes a furious storm, swinging her lance with all her might at Robin. Reflected in her eyes were three golden triangles, seemingly both fixed and rotating. It was then that Robin began to see Ganondorf materialize before him. Maybe it had been sensory deprivation, or a fixation on the visions, but only now did Robin notice the cold, clammy touch of sweat all over his body. Only then did Robin notice his labored breathing. Ganondorf looked concerned, and Anna, who must've been on the other side already, was already prepared with a healing stave, just in case. Ganondorf couldn't react to Robin's violent lurch forward, grabbing the collar of the Gerudo.

"What was _that._ " Robin growled. His voice was gutteral, a command from a darker place in the tactician. Anna took a step back in shock, and even Ganondorf looked genuinely startled.

"I told you not to think." He insisted. "That's an experimental transport, it's supposed to be much faster and safer."

" _Experimental_?" Robin snarled, and let go of his teammate. "Well, safe is a relative term." He replied, almost whispering. He felt Anna's hand on his shoulder. He turned to the secret seller, and the grief in his eyes made it clear to her. She nodded solumnly.

"We can discuss it after the match." She said with finality. "And maybe we should avoid the nightmare tunnel from now on." She gave Ganondorf a reproachful look. Ganondorf shrugged, but his face betrayed his guilt.

As the trio entered and exited a small hallway, the whole area opened up into a large gray space. A din of thousands of voices echoed around them, but Robin saw nothing. Various workers tirelessly went about their business, talking to each other through large communication boxes. Anna noticed Robin's awe-struck face. "Think of this like the Ferox arena." She explained. "You two will enter a tunnel, and come out in the other side of the area."

"Where are we, anyway?" Ganondorf asked.

"The Kalos Pokemon League, apparently." Anna answered. "The area outside of the arena is quite nice." There was a cheer from inside the stadium, and a voice over the intercom boomed. However, Robin could make nothing from the voice. Everything mashed together into a wall of semi-coherent noise.

"Anna, do we know who's fighting right now?" He asked. Anna looked at her communicator in response. The cheering slowly morphed from a violent cacophony to a chant of unison. Robin could slowly make out what they chanted. It was foggy, but he swore he could hear.

"Ah! Falco and Little Mac facing Pac-Man and Donkey Kong! Interesting matchup!"

The crowd continued to chant 'Little Mac!' over and over again, in some sort of frenzied ritual. Robin felt his stomach twist in excitement. Anna was right on the surface, but in reality, this was nothing like Arena Ferox. There were consequences to failure there. Here, the worst punishment was merely losing the match. Robin grinned. Maybe it was the infectious crowd, but he could feel the electricity of the arena as the match came to an end. A loud horn echoed throughout the building, before a deep voice declard the winners. The resulting cheers gave Robin the clue he needed. Falco and Little Mac had come through victorious.

"Alright kiddos!" Ganondorf beckoned Robin and Anna towards him. "Once Robin and I walk through that tunnel, we become a team." He paused. "A team that has more brainpower than the other teams put together." He put his hand into the center of the three. Anna and Robin looked at each other, before Anna shrugged and followed suit. Robin put his hand atop the other two. Ganondorf grinned. "Now, let's go get us a championship."

* * *

The tunnel was much shorter than Robin anticipated. After only a few steps, he could feel the sweltering heat blowing in his face from the main stage. Anna had left them only a few minutes earlier to join the other board members in a 'VIP Lounge'. Robin had a good idea of what that was, only confirmed by Anna's smugness. He felt Ganondorf tense up slightly.

"Nervous?" Robin asked non-chalantly.

"A little. I'm not used to fighting gods." Ganondorf replied.

"Been one and fought one." Robin said. "It wasn't a cakewalk, but it's doable."

"You've _been_ a god?"

"Yeah, it was okay." Robin had heard several loud thumps. Anna had chosen a particular song from the the options given to them. It was from Samus's world, and it began with bass drum and tamborine in rhythm. The two smashers looked at each other. Ganondorf smiled.

"Well, I've been a sort of god, so I guess we have advantage now, huh?" Robin smirked. Ganondorf had a strange way about him, but the confidence was contagious. He took a deep breath, exhaled, and jogged into the arena. Robin was impressed by Anna's instructions. _Wait 5 seconds, then run out._ Fire burst out of the ground next to the path the two smashers ran, and the music had reached a loud climax. The spectators cheered enthusiastically, almost fervently.

The smell of cold metal and ozone entered Robin's nostrils. The stadium itself had not recovered from the previous battle, blast marks littered the floor of the stage. As Robin and Ganondorf reached the center of the stage, new music, much more ethereal in nature, began to play. After a few seconds, out came Peach and Palutena. Robin hadn't had the pleasure of meeting Palutena, but the rumors seemed to ring true. She was almost porcelain, a radiant beauty who literally floated above the others. An otherworldly halo eminated from her being. There was a grunt of exertion. Robin turned to Ganondorf, who was clutching his chest.

"Whatever Palutena's doing, she's somehow resonating with the Triforce." He managed to grumble. "That can't be legal."

"Why, Mr. Ganondorf, are you feeling faint?" An almost detached voice asked. Robin realized that it was Palutena, smirking as she looked down upon the struggling Gerudo. "Maybe you should go get looked at?"

"Heh-heh." He spat out. "Nice try, but you won't convince me to quit." The goddess shrugged.

"Fair enough, I thought I should express my concern." She replied. Her eyes danced with starlight from several constellations. Robin frowned. If Ganondorf was out of commission, he'd have to improvise. Granted, he was rather good at it, but some fights are not equitable.

"I'll be alright, Robin." Ganondorf interrupted Robin's thought process. "Stick with the plan." Robin nodded his head before taking a deep breath. A low rumble caught his attention next. The ground shook slighty, and Robin noticed that the paths to the platform were retracting. Underneath them swirled a pit of void. Robin had read up on it, the void itself was just a portal to a 'respawn' center, where you got sent back to your battle. However, this was a one-or-nothing competition, so this information was irrelevant. A high pitched buzzing attacked Robin's ears. An opalescent dome covered the stage like a membrane. This was the force field, designed to keep spectators safe. Ganondorf stalked off to one edge of the stage, and Robin followed. Peach chose to stay center, and Palutena moved back. The intercom blared once again. Robin took one final breath.

3.

2.

1.

Robin leaped up onto a taller platform. _Better to be up top then join the scrum at the bottom._ He thought. He touched his customized arcthunder tome, charging up. His hairs stood at attention as the current swept through his body. He could hear the growl of Ganondorf as he attacked Peach head on. There was a flash of light, and Robin felt an intense heat upon his back.

"Don't take it personally, Robin." Palutena stated. "We won't win if we don't eliminate you now." Her words were cold, and Robin turned to see a small target appear in front of him.

Small pellets of energy leapt at Robin, who barely had enough time to jump back. As he fell, he pulled out his Arcfire tome. Shouting out a word of power, a pillar of flame grew in front of him. He saw several pellets smash into the flames. Robin landed hard on the ground, the sounds of static and smell of ozone filled his senses. As he got up, he was flung by a heavy impact. Blinking in shock, Robin gingerly got onto his feet. Only to feel the impact of more energy blasts. _Dear Naga, she's faster than I thought._ Robin thought. He planted his left foot hard, spinning around. He materialized a small blade, blue and shaped like a teardrop. He swung at Palutena, hitting only an afterimage. He swung again, and contact was made with her staff. Another word of power, and a large explosion erupted in front of him, singeing his hair slightly, it's sickly sweet scent filling his nostrils.

Another flash of light, and she appeared again. Robin felt a pit in his stomach. Palutena looked unharmed. In fact, her face was painted with looks of disappointment and annoyance. "Are you done playing with your muddled words?" She asked, far to quietly to be natural. Robin panted; there was no chance of him beating her one-on-one. He jumped back, almost running into Ganondorf.

"Do we need a new plan?" He shouted at the tactician. Robin shook his head.

"Teleporting is an annoyance, but I can work around it." The tactician responded. "Just remember my signal, alright?" Ganondorf grunted in affirmation, before once again running towards Peach. Robin threw another Arcfire at Palutena, who teleported over it. He growled in frustration. The burning sensation was back. He felt something strike his shoulder hard. He rolled with the impact, but still felt overwhelming pain. Instinctively, he reached out to his right, screaming "Nosferatu". He heard a surprised yelp, and the pain in his shoulder dulled. Palutena materialized several feet back, looking slightly perturbed and clutching her arm. Robin smiled. _She can take damage_.

The victory was short lived. He heard an approaching yell, and felt the full weight of Ganondorf strike him in the back. As both of them struggled to get up, Robin found himself grumbling.

"How did you manage," He asked Ganondorf accusingly. "To get thrown around by _Peach_?!"

"Her little brat can reflect physical damage." He countered. "It's hard to get a punch in."

Robin groaned in response. "We need to end this now. A prolonged encounter will prove disasterous." He could see Palutena approaching. "Back to back, and I need to to be ready to spin around and throw a punch."

"While spinning."

"Hopefully she won't have time to react."

"While _spinning."_

"You're plenty agile enough, Ganondorf." Robin steadied his legs. He would need fast reactions. There was a crackle of lightning. Robin's hand glowed with a unnatural crimson. "Heh, forgot about that." Robin chuckled. Pulling out a green tome, he shouted out another word of power. The elwind flung him upwards, and he could feel the wind flow through him. He felt a surge of dark magic, the nausea it produced, and suddenly, the radiant heat that Palutena emanated ceased. There was a geyser of hot air that knocking Robin sideways. As he tumbled, he saw Peach slamming a golf club into Ganondorf's side. Robin pointed at the princess, and felt the electric charge leave his body.

"Checkmate."

* * *

Robin was swarmed by several reporters, all asking the same five questions. He could feel Ganondorf and Anna pull him along, pushing people out of the way. The official interviews would happen in a minute, but Robin could barely focus on putting one foot in front of the other.

Apparently, after Peach fell off the stage, courtesy of Ganondorf, Robin had let out a big primal scream of celebration, before passing out. It took several minutes for Anna to revive him, and a couple more before he could get up and leave the stage.

"We're getting you … attention … stay awake." He could hear Anna, but she grew more and more distant.

"The hell you … doing?" Ganondorf's growls were but a faint whisper in the wind. Robin looked up. Ganondorf was but a blur, red and purple swirls dancing in his sight. It was nauseating, but what was worse was the bright light was kept popping in and out of view. Robin paused. It was … enticing. The light seemed to take multiple forms, morphing like shadows and leaves under the moonlight. Strange, how it seemed to call to him. He reached out, but couldn't grasp the light. For a moment, Ganondorf's arm was still, and Robin saw the light clearly.

A small triangle glowed fiercely, while two other triangles glowed like candles in the wind, struggling to live on. He could hear it whisper ancient texts and arcane words. Flames erupted from the center, reaching out to him. Visions, much like the one's he had before, came crashing through his conscious mind.

The tears of a black-haired woman, whom he had never met … or not yet met.

The blue clad warrior, fury in the eyes, pulling out a arrow of light.

A crimson fury, attempting to shatter a wall of light.

Something, more machine than man, laughing maniacally as he swept through armies of men.

* * *

"... Robin?"

Robin opened his eyes slowly. A worried face, framed by burgundy hair, looked down upon him.

"Oh thank Naga." Anna said, breathing a sigh of relief. "I was worried I'd have to call Cordelia with bad news." Robin struggled to get up, but felt Anna's hand on his chest. "Take it easy, slugger. You ran yourself through the wringer, just relax."

"What happened?" He asked, hesitantly.

"You overexerted yourself." Ganondorf sat in the corner of the room. "Held on to that electric magic for too long."

"Ah, at least we won."

"Smashers don't usually flirt with death, Robin. Especially not if they win." Ganondorf scolded him.

"Oh." Robin replied, embarrassment creeping across his features.

"You could've fried yourself alive."

"But it didn't."

"Do you always take stupid risks in order to win?" Ganondorf asked. Before Robin could answer, Anna nodded her head glumly.

"Always try to get yourself killed so others don't die." She said. "That's Robin's motto." She stood up. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting with the board of directors." She stomped off into the hallway. Leaving Robin and Ganondorf alone. Robin could hear a heavy sigh come from the Gerudo King.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say she likes you." He finally said. Robin snorted in response.

"People say that about Lissa and I as well." He said. "You know better." Ganondorf smiled. "And besides, she's been dating someone in secret."

"Oh-ho?" Ganondorf was curious. "Someone I know?"

"Doubt it." Robin replied. "But she's been out and about at odd hours, though. And she keeps asking Cordy and I for advice." He felt a rush of blood to his head. He blinked hard, attempting to refocus quickly. "I think it might be Stahl." He winced. _As if he knows who Stahl is._

"You think she might be stalling?" Ganondorf wondered aloud. Robin shook his head fervently, making the throbbing headache worse.

"No no no." He muttered. "Look, it's not important." He pointed at Ganondorf's hand. "What's on your hand?" The Gerudo looked down at his hand, confused. "I saw a light coming from it."

Robin could see his eyes narrow. "Describe it to me." Ganondorf demanded.

"It was like the sun, beckoning me with it's brilliance." Ganondorf looked perturbed. "It was a … triangle? The shape kept shifting."

"Beckoning?" Ganondorf sounded worried. "Have you not read anything about the Triforce?" Robin shook his head. He had read about it once in the book he had borrowed, but the information was vague at best. Maybe the owner himself could tell him more.

"Humor me."

"Well, Robin." He continued. "The Triforce is a magical item, one that can grant power beyond your wildest dreams. Many desired it. Many died seeking it. And for eons, it has been tied to the destinies of three people."

"Zelda, you, and Link." It wasn't a question. Ganondorf nodded his head. Robin was unmoved. The explanation was pure poetry. Roundabout description with no clear meaning. The headache didn't help either.

"Precisely." He answered. "The Triforce has deep magic behind it. It's … unusual for people to see it without us actively using it." This gave Robin pause. The meaning was lost to him. "I've never seen someone actively communicate with it."

"It wasn't communication, I couldn't talk _to_ it. More like, I could hear whispers and I saw … visions."

"What kind of visions?" Ganondorf was whispering now, tension gripping him. Robin could feel the room close in on him, starting to suffocate him. Maybe it was his imagination, but the shadows played amongst each other in a hellish dance, clawing desperately towards the light. He reflected on the visions. The crying girl, the arrow of light, the red shadow, and the metal man. It was distant, almost surreal in nature. Part of Robin desperately wanted to tell Ganondorf everything, but something within him hesitated. It was all so strange, and the visions had been a result of Ganondorf's Triforce.

"I'm … not sure. Nothing was familiar." The darkness subsided. Ganondorf seemed tense, but more relieved. "S-Something bothering you?" The Gerudo shook his head.

" … It's nothing." He replied. "The Triforce can be used to influence people. But I have never heard of visions coming from it …" He began muttering to himself. "I need to check on something." He said resolutely. "Will you be alright for the evening? Anna said she'd come check on you later." Robin nodded, still coming to terms with what happened. "Excellent. I'll see you tomorrow." As he turned to leave, he made one last comment. "And you did good today, kid. I really like your spunk!" And with that, he was gone. Robin attempted to grin, but couldn't manage. He noticed his hands were shaking.

And Robin was left to the darkness again.

* * *

 _ **Finally! The first match is over! As always, reviews, comments, and any questions are appreciated! Thanks to everyone for their support!**_

 _ **I'll answer some of your questions at the next chapter!**_

 _ **Next Chapter: Lucina, Samus, and the Future**_


	16. Lucina, Samus, and the Future

**Chapter 16: Lucina, Samus, and the Future**

"Hello again, Lucina." The voice was distant, obscured between veils of water. Small towers of marble surrounded them, glowing under the full moon. Lucina blinked a couple of times, touching a pillar. It was cold and damp, making her recoil. The constant babbling of the water obscured her footsteps. She was under a small overhang, and slowly made her way out into the clearing. There, meditating over a small moonlit pool, floated Mewtwo. His eyes opened, and a bright purple light shown forth. "You have entered the dreamscape."

" _Your_ dream?" Lucina was slightly confused. "I'm asleep?"

Mewtwo chuckled, floating over to the princess. "Yes. I find dreams to be the fishing net for the lost and troubled in the stream of consciousness." His face maintained it's stoic facade, a statue in living flesh. "It all seems very real, but rest assured, you're asleep in your bed."

"The stream of conscious. It's a fitting metaphor." Lucina replied. "Why do you think I'm troubled?"

"Know, Lucina." He replied. "It's not much of a mystery." Mewtwo looked amused. Lucina wasn't.

"And what of this? Is this in my head or yours?"

"Neither, in a way." Mewtwo said. "It helps not to think too hard about it."

Lucina sat on a large stone, facing Mewtwo. "I suppose I'm worried about the same things." She admitted.

"And yet, what seems the same is vastly different." Mewtwo stated. Lucina frowned. She didn't understand all humor, but she knew what she hated: riddles. "What I mean to say, is, you worry about the same person, but for different reasons." Mewtwo's body seemed to phase in and out of existence, leaving his head floating in mid-air. Lucina jumped back in alarm. "Ah, my apologies, the dream is not mine, so some strange things will happen." Mewtwo beckoned for Lucina to follow him. She slowly got up, following him behind a waterfall. After a short walk, the pair came upon a tunnel. "This dreamscape has haunted me for awhile, so forgive me for leading you around." He said to Lucina.

"Where is this?" Lucina asked. The tunnels had ancient etchings upon them, power seemingly oozing from the markings. She could feel a cold breeze coming from in front of her. No. Not a breeze. A chill.

"I wish I knew. Three different people have visualized this place over the past three days." Mewtwo admitted. "It is rather picturesque, so when Robin saw it, I didn't min-"

"Robin saw this?" Lucina blurted out. Mewtwo shot her a look of annoyance.

"- _Yes_ , and I thought it to be a strange place of power at home." Both of them walked closer to the cold. "But Zelda saw it the next day, followed by Bowser. I found it prudent to investigate." His body manifested itself again, and Lucina gave out a unconscious gasp. "Please remain focused, child. You cannot help me if these trivial things bother you."

"I thought you were helping _me!_ " Lucina was incredulous. What kind of game was Mewtwo playing?

"I will, but an opportunity has now presented itself." Mewtwo answered. "I would like your help, and I will … 'owe you one', as Captain Falcon would say." Lucina's brow furrowed. She finally spoke after what felt like several minutes.

"You have my assistance, for whatever it's worth." Lucina said. "What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to dissipate something for me." Mewtwo kept leading Lucina further down the tunnel. She began to see her breath. "Though I'm accustomed to seeing it much earlier."

"Dissipate?" She didn't notice Mewtwo stop next to her. As she kept walking, she found herself violently flung on the ground, the clatter of metal on stone echoed. In front of the duo was a glowing wall. "What is this sorcery?" Mewtwo seemed pleased.

"Ah, good." He said. "Zelda." Lucina looked at Mewtwo, confusion etched in her expression. "The other two only remembered a small portion of the tunnel." He explained. "Only Zelda knows this much."

"So this is Hylian?" Lucina asked.

"Perhaps." Mewtwo tapped the barrier. "Or this is a mental construct of unfulfilled feelings and desires. I mean, the difference is a matter of splitting hairs, to be honest."

Lucina tapped the barrier with Falchion. The sound was brittle and hollow. "What is this?"

"A mental barrier." Mewtwo answered. "Meant to keep prying eyes and ears out."

"Are we prying eyes?"

"Technically, but this isn't to stop just us. It's not just a subconscious barrier. This was placed here." Mewtwo's eyes glowed a moment. The barrier stretched and pulled, seemingly elastic yet equally untouchable. "Placed here so nobody could force it out of her." Lucina's eyes widened. The barrier pulsed once. Mewtwo looked at the princess. "Do you have any theories?"

Lucina touched the barrier again, this time with her hand. The barrier was cold, like a sheet of ice. However, it bent to Lucina's touch. She bit her lip. "Why do you want my opinion?" She asked. "Wouldn't Robin or Zelda be better-"

"-Hardly. Zelda won't be able to tell me even if she wanted to. And Robin is …" Mewtwo paused. "Well, I trust you more, honestly." Lucina frowned slightly. "I know _you_ trust Robin, little Princess." The Pokemon didn't meet her eyes. "But I must confess, a man I cannot read is a man I cannot trust."

"You cannot read his mind?"

"I cannot read his _intentions._ " Mewtwo sounded slightly annoyed. "It's not like his mind is blank. I've seen this in his mind. I've seen memories and desires. But it's all muddled and contradictory." He looked back down the tunnel. "That's why I'm asking you. You're smart, and you have obvious and pure intent. It's admirable." The barrier pulsed again. "So I ask you, what do you think is behind this barrier?"

Lucina squinted. She felt the cold radiate from the barrier. There was … a whisper. Maybe it was intuition, but Lucina felt like she knew what to do. She closed her eyes and once again tapped the barrier. She saw flurries of white, shimmering lakes of ice, and the shadow of a large mountain. All she could hear was the howl of the wind whirling around her face. As she opened her eyes, the silence of the tunnel was back. "A mountain. Snow." Lucina stated. Mewtwo nodded quietly. As he nodded, Lucina felt a rush from her toes. It felt like she was falling. She looked back up at the Pokemon. "What's happening?" She found herself shouting.

"You're waking up, child." Mewtwo sounded amused. "That's the problem with dreams. They always end."

Mewtwo started to melt away, replaced with a horrifying vision. She could see three pairs of glowing red eyes, embers surrounding an approaching blaze. As the world faded away, Lucina started to scream.

* * *

"Wake up, kid!" Lucina almost leapt out of bed, her head slamming into Samus's. The bounty hunter grasped her head in pain. "Dammit, that hurts!" The blue haired princess was breathing heavily. Samus touched her shoulder. "Bad dream?"

"I paid Mewtwo a visit." She was short, still panting slightly. "It ended rather roughly."

"What a prick." Samus responded. "You want me to give Mewtwo a piece of my mind?" Lucina shook her head.

"He wanted help, and I gave it." She shook her head again. She felt a slight prick of pain. "I doubt he intended it to end the way it did."

"What do you remember?" Samus sat down next to Lucina, worry reflected in her eyes.

Lucina grabbed her head in a vain attempt to recall everything. "I … remember a chamber and a tunnel. It was quiet. There was water." She squinted in pain. "There was snow. Lots of snow, and a long shadow."

"Sounds like a picnic." Samus interrupted. "Don't tell me you got up screaming from that!"

Lucina shot Samus a look of annoyance. "I fell. It felt like forever, like I'd never hit solid ground. When I woke up, it felt like slamming into earth." She finished. Samus merely nodded.

"Classic 'falling forever' nightmare." The bounty hunter stretched, looking more catlike for a brief moment. "Really justifying the screaming, Lucy." Lucina rolled her eyes. Samus didn't even attempt to be subtle with the sarcasm that time. "There wasn't more?"

"No, not that I can remember." Lucina was telling a small lie, but it was silly, dreaming of monsters long gone. She slowly got out of bed. "Don't we need to be preparing for tonight?"

"Yeah, but if you need a moment, it's cool."

Lucina yawned. "No, it's alright. I need to put this behind me." She walked towards the bathroom. "I'll meet you in the training room, Ms. Aran." Samus opened her mouth, but thought better of it. As she walked out, she turned to face her teammate.

"Kid, we've had this talk before, but, you know you can talk to me, right?" Lucina nodded, hiding her face from the bounty hunter.

"When I'm ready." She replied. "When I'm ready."

* * *

"Feeling better, Lucina?" Samus asked in between sit ups. She was wearing an orange uniform that showed off her midriff. Lucina closed her eyes involuntarily, before reopening them. "Nice sweater, by the way." Lucina looked down at her outfit. She had merely removed her armor, and was wearing her blue tunic. She was befuddled. Nothing she was wearing resembled winter clothing in any way … "The long sleeves?" Samus interrupted her train of thought.

"Oh." Lucina responded. "This is as indecent as I dare look, though!" Samus rolled her eyes, standing up. Lucina remembered a story that Kjelle told her. Apparently, Severa had gotten distracted by Kjelle's … strong features. She didn't know why the story came to mind, but she did feel rather inferior to the bounty hunter. _By Naga, how can I ever hope to keep up with …_

"Lucy, you can always take a picture." Samus was clearly amused by Lucina's sudden lack of focus. "Don't tell me that you're losing focus!" She quickly flung her leg at the princess. Lucina jumped back, sliding on the ground. She shouted out in surprise.

"What's the meaning of this?" She seemed more stunned than angry. Samus placed a hard palm into her shoulder. Lucina grunted in pain, attempting to roll out of the way. She received a quick elbow to the ribs as a deterrent.

"We're partners." Samus stated between attacks. "But more than that, I'm your teacher." A jab to the stomach. She felt a palm deflect it. _Good._

"I have my father! He taught me all I need to know with the blade." Lucina flicked out her left leg, scraping Samus's arm.

"Well, you don't have your sword, Lucy." Lucina gritted her teeth. What was this? Samus had never shown any intention of attacking her before. Why today? Another palm, this time to the leg. "You're brilliant, kid. But you're raw. Undisciplined." Lucina flailed with her arms. A kick to the stomach stopped her forward momentum. "And you get distracted easily. It'll get you." Punch. "Or a friend." Kick. "Or a loved one." Lucina yelped in pain. "Killed one day." Samus felt a punch get past her defenses. A dull pain on her cheek.

Lucina was smiling slightly. "It seems like you're already trying for that." She said sarcastically.

Samus smiled. She patted her teammate's shoulder. "Get all that out of your system?" Lucina nodded. "Good. Now let's get healed up. You may be undisciplined, but you can hurt."

"Geez, I say! You two are worse than Vincent!" A bright, peppy voice entered the room. She was wearing shorts, and a floral printed tank top. Over all of that was a small black vest. Her short dark brown hair fell around her face, and a black headband was tied around her head. She wore long brown boots and a strange glove-like object on her left arm. Her face reminded Lucina of Cynthia. Eagerness seemed to bubble out from her body, and Lucina found it rather … infectious.

"And who are you?" Samus asked. The girl held out her right hand.

"Name's Yuffie Kisaragi! But you can call me the Great Ninja Yuffie! I'm your team's public relations guy!" Almost as a side note, she added. "Also, I'mamemberoftheboard."

"Public Relations?" Lucina was confused. "Why would we need something like that?"

"Well, to be honest, you guys don't really need one. People love you two. But-" Yuffie held up her hand before Lucina could interrupt. "I'm here to also 'polish your image', as Tifa would say."

Samus rolled her eyes. "Aw man, how could I forget Tifa!" Dripping with sarcasm. "What kind of polishing?"

Yuffie held her hands up defensively. "Hey, hey! I'm just doing what Ms. Anna and Mr. Nook suggested! I'm only here because Tifa and Cid pushed me to do it!"

"Stop saying random names like they mean anything." Samus commanded. "I'm not going to refuse your assistance, but I'd like to know what it is you're doing."

" _You_ stop bein' a giant jerk! How about that?" Yuffie retorted. Lucina held back the bounty hunter. "Listen, you're pretty lucky to be helped by the White Rose of the Wutai! I'm just here to make sure you adhere to borin' rules I don't care about, and to help make you guys look almost as cool as me!"

"Lucina, please let me go so I can pick this Rose's petals off." Samus said through gritted teeth. Lucina held on tighter.

"I don't think that's the best idea, Samus. Let's hear her out." She replied. Samus relaxed slightly, and Lucina let go. Yuffie relaxed as well.

"Cool! Well," Yuffie began. "Y'see, this tournament is a spectator sport. People like to root for fighters here! Now, you guys are plenty popular, so our focus is to get the crowd behind you! Anna had a brilliant idea of introduction songs. Said she saw a place that did it all the time."

"Introduction songs? Like a processional?" Lucina asked. Yuffie made a face of feigned disgust.

"How about something that won't bore the paying masses?" Yuffie started gesturing, turning away from the two. "Something exciting! Mysterious! Intense! Basically, me. But in a song!" As she turned around, she flinched. " … Right. You two should get healed, we can set this up in a couple of minutes." She did a quick cartwheel out of the room. Samus groaned.

"If I pin her down, can you please give her a quick punch to the head?" Was all she muttered as she followed suit.

* * *

After all the hubbub surrounding Robin and the new transporter, Samus decided that the trio should take it safe and use a regular portal. Yuffie said it wouldn't change anything. A confusing statement until she got sick in the portal dimension. Disgusting, but Samus did think it humorous that inevitably, someone would get a nice little souvenir from the portal.

As they exited, Lucina felt a sense of … familiarity. The walls were a dark brown brick, torches lined the walls. However, there were still some modern touches, mainly from toads and wire frames frantically running down the service halls. Lucina, now wearing her armor and holding her father's sword, took a step forward, before she heard a deep, booming voice.

"If it's not the Princess of Ylisse herself!" A large barrel-chested man, skin eternally tanned and eye covered with a patch, embraced Lucina quickly. Lucina smiled and attempted to return the embrace.

"Khan Basilio!" She cried out in joy. "Whatever are you doing here?!" The Khan laughed.

"Whaddya mean, kid?" He asked. "We're in Regna Ferox!" Lucina looked at Yuffie in shock. She merely shrugged her shoulders.

"I was gonna tell you, but you seemed to be figuring it out just fine." She said sheepishly. "Consider it a slight home court advantage, as it were!"

Lucina turned to the Khan. "Basilio! Are all the Shepherd's here? Can I see them?" Basilio held out his hands.

"Whoa there, missy." He laughed. "Yes, everyone is here to see you. But I'm already stretching enough rules here. Technically, you can't visit with contestants, and that includes me."

"Luckily, I managed to pull a couple of strings!" Yuffie interjected. "But it'll have to wait until after the match." Lucina turned around and hugged the ninja. Samus even put a hand on her shoulder.

"I take back most of what I've said." She said, smirking. "You're not a complete tool."

Yuffie smiled, but a beeping coming from a pocket in her vest quickly brought her back. "Oh shoot!" She shouted. "We've got to get you guys set up!" Basilio smiled.

"Good luck, kid!" He shouted, as the trio moved away from him. "Hope this goes better than the last time you fought here!" Lucina gave back a hearty wave. Yuffie looked back at the princess.

"You fought here before?" She asked. "I figured royalty only saw the fighting." Lucina nodded.

"Yes, I fought my father."

"Ooh, that sucks."

"I lost, but I enjoyed it."

"Educational?"

"Very."

* * *

The halls were echoing with the cheers of a full Feroxi Arena. Apparently, Marth and Corrin had just gotten past Captain Falcon and his teammate Greninja. Samus wasn't too sure what or who Greninja was, but beating Captain Falcon did take some skill. She hopped up and down, loosening up her muscles. She looked at her teammate. Lucina was kneeling on one knee, mumbling to herself. "Praying? Seems unlike you." She said.

Lucina looked up. "Normally I'm not. But anything helps, right?"

Samus shrugged. "Can't argue with that." She said to herself. As the two exited the tunnel to the roaring crowds, Samus heard the distinct booming of a bass. Samus smiled. The song was a classic in her time. On her earth. Yuffie was annoying, but she did do her research.

Or, perish the thought, she might have good taste.

The cheers themselves rose to an almost painful level, as the crowd realized what team was coming out of the tunnel. Samus turned to Lucina. She was pale, staring blankly ahead.

"What do I say, Samus? What do I do?" She asked the bounty hunter. Samus showed no emotion, but placed a reassuring hand on her back.

"Just go out there and take care of business." She replied. "Showboating is for meatheads who spend too much time trying to be great."

"Those are my people out there, though."

"Then they'll love you no matter what you do. Give them a wave and a smile. That's all they need."

The air was hot, heavy from anticipation and humidity. As they walked out the tunnel, the cheers of "Lucina!" echoed throughout the arena. Samus hopped onto a raised platform. Considering the opponent, the air may be the only advantage she'd have.

Lucina took a deep breath, slowly unsheathing her sword. Falchion glittered in the light, reflecting on the ceiling. The cheering became a frenzied cacophony, the roar overpowering the announcers. Lucina glanced over to the royal box. She caught the blue hair of her father, and a flash of red hair. Upon closer inspection, Cordelia and Severa were standing a row behind her father and mother. Lucina caught the sound of the announcer, and readied herself. Distractions could wait.

* * *

 _Samus had warned Lucina about their opponents._

" _It's the one match where we won't have a distinct speed advantage, Lucy." Samus was standing by the projector screen, a marker in hand. "We'll be playing catch up if we try to outrun him, so we should plan on forcing him into a predictable pattern."_

 _Lucina raised her hand, tentatively. "Um … who are we talking about, exactly?" Samus pressed a button on the projector. The film flickered to life, and showed Samus in her full body armor. In one moment, she was facing the right. There was a blue flash, and she was on the ground. Lucina leaned forward, in a vain attempt to catch a glimpse of the blur. "What was that?" There was another flash, and Samus was flung across the stage. The real bounty hunter chuckled._

" _I remember that punch. That one hurt pretty bad." She remarked, before turning to Lucina. "That's our opponent. Sonic the Hedgehog."_

" _Appropriate name." Lucina commented. "How are we to compete with that speed?"_

 _Samus smiled. The video continued with Samus flying into the air. For the first time in the film, Lucina could see Sonic. He was … underwhelming. It seemed like a trend for small, unremarkable creatures to have great power. However, in the air, Samus was suddenly evenly matched. Well, Sonic was still faster, but Samus could now dodge some of his attacks._

" _We take him to the air, Lucy." She said. "And I'm not wearing armor this time. Too slow for this match."_

" _How about his partner?"_

* * *

Sonic looked the same as the film showed. There were some boos from the crowd, but he took in stride, smirking all the way into his spot. Behind him stood a blond haired boy, around Lucina's age. He wore a black long-sleeved shirt with red vest and shorts, all sporting strange patterns etched in blue dye and metal. In his hand was a large red sword with glowing blue accents. The sword seemed to pulse, as if it had a heart of it's own. He waved enthusiastically to Lucina, who returned the greeting with slightly less excitement. Shulk and Lucina were quite alike, children with responsibility loaded upon their backs. She hadn't talked to him much, but he seemed agreeable.

It was obvious who the crowd was rooting for, and Lucina was, in all honesty, thankful. It felt good to know the crowd was behind her. She took a deep breath. _Just follow the plan, we'll be fine_.

She barely heard the countdown, but as "1" blared across the stadium, she took a look at her teammate. Samus swung her whip threateningly, before crouching slightly, a cat ready to pounce.

Samus bolted forward, barely dodging Sonic's first attack. She swung out with her whip, the plasma cracking at the end. Sonic stopped himself short, and Lucina saw him step back from the attack. Lucina was surprised. It had been several seconds, and Sonic and Samus were fully engaged in their battle. However, Shulk had not yet reached Lucina. Samus had said that he was slow, but this …

"Back-slash!" He cried from across the map. Lucina saw Shulk fling himself into the air, before coming down a few feet in front of her. The shockwave pushed the swordswoman back several feet. She caught a slightly green glow coming from his sword. "Gotta be careful, mate!" Shulk said. "Your opponents can change at any moment!" He slashed forward, but Lucina caught the slash with her blade. She countered, and Shulk rolled backwards, barely dodging the counter. Now he was grinning. "That isn't gonna work with me!" He taunted. "I can see the future!" Lucina swung again, and felt her sword contact a hard surface. She felt a boot connect with her stomach, and she started sliding towards the edge. _When did the edge get that close?_ She felt her left hand grab her sword, which oddly enough, didn't move. She heard a pop, and great waves of pain rolled over her left arm and through her brain. But she was still inbounds. Slowly, Lucina got up. Samus was holding her own against the blue blur. She had grabbed the hedgehog and flung him to the opposite side of the stage. Shulk attempted to attack, but she was too fast. Shulk dodged the onslaught before turning his attention back to Lucina. "Sorry, mate. I don't think I have a chance against your partner." Lucina blocked another slash, her sword held firm agains the now yellow Monado. Lucina knew Shulk could see the future, and with the restriction patches, Samus had figured out how much future he could see.

3 seconds. Lucina grimaced. She only had one attack that could go for longer than 3 seconds. _I'd prefer to have two arms …_

It had taken years for Lucina to be able to fight properly with Falchion. Years of sweat, blood, and the smell of death in her nostrils. In that time, she learned plenty of techniques from stories about her father. Stories from the past. One day, several months after arriving in the past, she found a book about the Hero King Marth. His attacks suited someone of a smaller stature. It was then Lucina decided how she would fight from then on. She felt her right arm strain to carry the full weight of Falchion, but this was the only chance. Lucina's blade struck metal, but she quickly swung again, knocking the Monado to the side. The blade whistled, carving through the air. Definitely past 3 seconds. She heard Shulk yell in surprise, jumping back from her. She grasped her ruined left shoulder. Definitely dislocated. She winced when her hand made contact. _Not now. Focus on the plan. Dull it out …_ Lucina was brought back by a war cry from Sonic. The hedgehog had finally decided to switch opponents. Samus had done a number on him, his body covered from head to toe in bruises and cuts.

* * *

" _Shulk. Hmm … says here that the Monado can change his physical strength and speed." Samus said, looking through his profile. "He's really slow, though. We can take advantage of that."_

" _How?" Lucina leaned over, curious._

" _Sandbagging."_

" _Sandbagging?"_

 _Samus nodded her head. "It's an old Earth term. Basically, going slower than you actually can to deceive your rivals." She started scribbling on a board on the wall. "Okay. So what we do is have you go slow against Shulk. Hopefully, we can convince Sonic that you're slow, and then we can switch."_

" _I have to fight Sonic?" Lucina was nervous. She saw how fast he was. Samus shrugged._

" _If I do my job, he'll already be fighting at about fifty percent." She said._

" _But …" Lucina paused. "Sandbagging?"_

" _Sandbagging."_

* * *

Well, Samus had definitely done her job.

"Man, these grind-it-out battles are the worst!" He exclaimed, trying to hit Lucina. He managed to graze her right leg. "Huh, thought I'd actually connect." Another punch, barely dodged by Lucina. She could hear the wind coming from the speedster's fists. Getting hit would hurt. A lot. She could hear Sonic grunt in frustration. "You looked so slow fighting Shulk, how are you so fast?" Lucina caught Sonic with the hilt of her sword, knocking him over. She grabbed the hedgehog, and threw him, feeling her right arm strain with his weight. As he flew off the edge, Lucina proudly looked down.

"Sandbagging! It's called sandbagging!" She exclaimed. Giggling, she turned to face Samus. Shulk had already gone off the edge, and the bounty hunter was walking over. "It sounds funny when you say it a lot!" Lucina exclaimed. Samus smiled as the buzzer went off, signifying their victory.

* * *

The camera flashes were slightly dazing for the trio as they exited the stage. Yuffie had set Lucina's shoulder, and now she wore a sling. The ninja was now clearing a path for the slightly wounded smashers. Lucina tried to look serious, but she couldn't manage it. Hearing all of her friends fervently cheering her name after their victory, even when in a lot of pain.

"Eyes up front, slugger." Samus gave Lucina a slight push. "Looking back can be saved for later!" She smiled at her teammate. "Let's go to the interview room."

The interview room was rather large, with lots of press members from various regions already yelling over each other. Lucina sat between Samus and Yuffie at a large table with microphones. A man in a suit called for everyone's attention. "We'll take a few questions from the press now." He said.

Yuffie pointed to a what looked like a turtle in a suit. "We'll start with you." She said. The turtle stood up, his shell pushing his chair slightly backwards. He cleared his throat.

"Koop A. Troopa, Dinosaur Island Bugle." He said. "Lucina, what's the extent of your injury, and will it affect how you fight the rest of this tournament?" Lucina looked over to Yuffie, who nodded encouragingly.

"Well, I haven't been to the doctor, but I think it's just a dislocated shoulder." She stated. "I should be alright for the next battle." Next question.

"So Samus, you seemed to be on pace with Sonic for most of the match."

"I thought it was pretty lucky, to be honest. It's amazing what years of wearing a heavy metal suit will do for you."

"Speaking of the suit, is this the new fighting style for you this tournament?"

"Nah, people like it when I mindlessly blow stuff up, so I'm not abandoning anything." Samus said sarcastically. The press laughed a little bit.

"Yuffie, is it strange managing, not fighting?"

Yuffie was taken aback. "A question? For me? You from Gaia or something?" The man nodded his head. "Welp, I think it's pretty fun to watch these two work, and honestly, I wouldn't want to fight these two!" She punched Lucina on the shoulder. Thankfully the right one. "Next question?"

"Lucina, how did it feel to win in front of your people?"

Lucina paused, before moving towards the mic. "Um … It was really special. I mean, it's an honor to be here, but to have my first fight here?" She took a shake breath, she could feel tears welling up. "It's really something wonderful. It's only the first fight, but it was something I'll never forget." Lucina wiped her eyes. "Sorry, I-I don't know why this is so …" Yuffie grabbed her hand.

"Thank you for your time, ladies and gents!" The ninja escorted the two out of the room. "Have a good day!"

* * *

Robin sat in his hospital bed. The doctors refused to let him leave the room, much less go to Regna Ferox. He sat in his room, eating popcorn and calling Cordelia periodically. Lucina's match was a little stressful, but it quickly became clear why her team was rated the third strongest team. Despite her injuries, Lucina fought well and inevitably, Robin found himself cheering them as they left the arena. As he finally settled down, he heard a knock on the door. Anna walked in, smirking at the tactician.

"Having fun, are we?" She asked. Robin rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, I saw the match too. Chrom's kid is pretty good." She sat down next to the bed, grabbing a handful of popcorn. "So … how are you feeling?"

Robin squeezed his hand, flexing slightly. "Good. I'm under observation until tonight, then they'll let me go." He paused. "What have you learned?"

"Not much. Zelda's not the talkative type." Anna tossed a piece of popcorn in her mouth. "I sent a courier to Cordelia. Maybe she can get Tharja and Miriel's help."

Robin cringed. "You … know that Cordelia didn't know anything about this, right?" Robin asked.

Anna laughed. "Not until I told her. She was pretty upset, Robby." Robin squirmed a little bit. "You can't have me keep a secret if she doesn't know. I'm friend number ten or eleven on your list!" Now Robin was smirking.

"You were, before you started dating Stahl." Anna choked on her popcorn, furiously grabbing at and chugging a glass of water.

"How did you figure that out, officer?" She hissed. "Spying on me?"

Robin laughed. "No, you're just not the most subtle person." He took a handful of popcorn out of the bowl. "And yeah, now that nobody will accuse you of trying to seduce me, you're a solid four or five. Sorry, still can't beat out Cordy or Chrom, though."

Anna pouted. "Who _else_ is above me?" She asked. Robin shrugged.

"Probably Gaius. He and I know quite a bit more about each other than you can imagine." Anna smiled.

"I don't know about that, I can imagine quite a bit." She joked. She stood up and moved to the TV. "Zelda and Cloud are having a match. It should be over by now, if you want to check it out." Robin nodded, and Anna changed the channel.

The screen was glowing gold, and Anna stepped back, covering her eyes. Robin could make out a figure aiming an arrow at another figure. As the arrow left the bow, the figure flew off the edge of the stadium. There was silence, then the crowd began to cheer. The announcer finally spoke up.

"I can't believe it! For the first time, a number 1 seed has fallen to an 8 seed! Despite Cloud and Ryu taking each other out, Zelda has managed to defeat Fox! The winner is … ZELDA!"

Robin and Anna looked at each other in shock.

* * *

 **Thank you all for your patience! These last couple of weeks have been crazy busy!**

 **I want to thank all of the reviewers for all of your comments, it really helps me out and keeps me motivated! There were only a couple questions, but I'll answer them here.**

 **Robotortoise: I've always been a fan of the idea of Palutena being really into 'being human', which in turn makes her sarcastic. It helps that she's very much like that in the new Kid Icarus.**

 **Guests:**

 **Chapter 10: Robin's kinda aware of Lucina's feelings, but Robin also has a tendency, much like Chrom, to be kinda oblivious. Part of him thought that she was just messing around. Severa, however, is ... well ... Severa. Even if she reciprocated feelings, I don't think she'd be willing to admit it.**

 **Chapter 13: Thanks! Yeah, there was a saxophone conference. Very classical oriented, but fun and interesting! I imagine Robin as one of the friends I went to the conference with; he tends to just lose himself in his work once someone mentions it, but is rather silly otherwise.**

 **Chapter 14: Yeah, Twilight Princess has one of my favorite worlds, even though it's not my favorite Zelda game. The Faron Woods, Arbiter's Grounds, and Snowpeak are such cool places, and that Link is actually a pretty good character for a mute character with no backstory.**

 **Chapter 15: The members of the board are all side characters from games that I felt strongly about and had the proper motivation to be members of an executive board of a company. Anna was one of my favorite Shepherds, despite being rather one-dimensional at first glance. She's enjoyable to write.**

 **Reviews, comments, and questions are always loved and appreciated! Thank you for listening!**

 **Next Chapter: Robin and Samus meet the Werepenguin**


	17. Robin and Samus Meet the Werepenguin

**Robin and Samus Meet the Werepenguin**

"Nice sling."

Lucina was sitting in the main foyer, attempting to read. She turned. Robin was standing with Samus, who had punched Robin in the shoulder after his little comment. Lucina smiled.

"I'll wear it as a badge of honor, Uncle Robin." She answered. Robin winced slightly. "Victory has a price."

"Duly noted." He said. "Remember what I said about calling me 'uncle'?" Lucina grinned slightly, attempting to hide her amusement. Samus smiled wryly, catching the swordswoman's look.

"Oh, but can't you see how happy she is, Uncoo Robby?" The bounty hunter widened her eyes mockingly. Robin rolled his eyes, gently shoving her.

"Well, Samus is going to teach me more about her ship, if you were interested in coming along." He motioned towards the hallway that led to the tram station. Lucina shook her head.

"I thank you, but I want to finish this book." She replied. "You go have fun, _uncle._ " She emphasized the last word, causing Robin to fluster and walk off, waving his hands like a madman. Samus ruffled Lucina's hair.

"You know, sometimes I wonder if you just fake the whole 'nice girl' thing." She said affectionately. "You really do have a sarcastic side." Lucina smiled slightly.

"I get it from my mom." She said. "And I'm learning from the best." Samus laughed at that.

"Damn right, kid. Well, have a good day, and rest up." She gave her partner a parting punch to the shoulder. The good one, Samus double checked. She turned to follow Robin towards the terminal. As she caught up with him, he was silent, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his raggedy cloak. He gave Samus a glare, while holding a pout. The murmurs of faraway conversations and the mechanical whispers of automatic doors and active rails broke the tenous silence. Robin sighed in exasperation.

"You're going to be the death of me." He finally said. He heard the bounty hunter chuckle.

"Lucina does all that on her own, you know." She responded. Robin pulled his hands out, now gesturing wildly with them.

"But you're the enabler!" He insisted. "You and Anna and Lissa could all create some horrifying coalition of tricks and wit, and we'd be powerless against your passive-aggressiveness!"

"I'd invite your wife as well!" Samus said, jokingly. "And I like to think of myself as 'aggressive-aggressive, Mr. Run-on-Sentence." Robin grumbled and shoved his hands back in his pocket.

"Please don't invite Cordy, she'd actually make it happen." He finally smirked a little bit, prompting Samus to slap him across the back. She could hear his breath get knocked out of him. As he wheezed, the tram finally made it's way into the station. The automatic doors opened, and Samus led Robin inside. Finally seated, Robin finally took a deep breath. There were a few more awkward seconds, before the doors closed again. Samus looked around. Nobody had entered their car, thank goodness.

"Alright," Her tone had shifted to a serious tone. "You told me you had a strange dream. What happened?"

"I still don't get why we couldn't discuss it with Lucina." Robin remarked.

"I don't want to discuss it in the mansion." Samus responded. "Too many ears."

"We didn't need to lie about where we were going, or turn up the sarcasm."

Samus put up one hand, counting down on her fingers. "First of all, I didn't lie. We're going to my ship, so I can do a system's check." Onto her second finger. "Secondly, yes I did. Because it's fun. And thirdly," She said before he could ask. "It's not like I don't trust Lucina. I trust like, three people in this mansion, and only one of them has psychic powers of any caliber. Call me paranoid, but you said this was important."

"I'm not sure this level of secrecy was needed," Robin muttered. "But I guess it's appreciated."

"Good to know." She was short with the tactician. "What was this dream about?"

* * *

 _Well, for starters, I don't remember a place like this._

 _It felt … wet. The walls were cold, moist from the high humidity of the place. Robin could feel a breeze come through the tunnel. Each step echoed, the sounds of running water droning in the background. As he reached the end of the tunnel, he paused._

 _It was all rather familiar. Several waterfalls ran off cliffs in the basin, surrounding all sides. There were several pools of water, running into each other. He took a seat on the edge of the lowest pool. There was movement on one of the higher escarpments. He pulled out a book. The worn yellow cover felt molded to his hand. There was no further movement. Robin slowly put the tome to his side, pulling out a journal. The journal itself had already been marked, visits past written within the pages. Pausing, he flipped to the first page. He began to read aloud._

" _'Hello Robin, it's yourself.'" He chuckled at that. "Bizarre, but not unwelcome."_

 _'This isn't the first time you've been here.'_

" _Good to know I'm only slightly crazy."_

 _'I recommend chronicling how far you get in this place, as the sense of deja-vu is overwhelming for me. I don't know how many times I've already been here, but I'm going to call this Journal Number One."_

 _Robin flipped through the pages, reading excerpt after excerpt._

 _'Journal #2. This place isn't anywhere in Ylisse, or anywhere I'm familiar with. The markings are consistent with Hylian writing, though the reason this is is unknown. I have a feeling this is all a lucid dream, and this is all in my subconscious.'_

 _'Journal #3. Awesome. I'm not alone, apparently. I heard something in the upper pools. I made my way up, and found what looked to be a throne room. Coral weaved into an ornate chair. It's pretty nice. It's a shame I can't learn Hylian while I'm dreaming, though. It might make this easier.'_

 _The next pages detailed the mapping of the area, four stories of cliff face houses, storage, and tunnels entering and exiting the area. A river seemed to engulf one of the exits, which Robin could not see the end of. The last journal, however, caught Robin's eye._

 _'Journal #8. It's Mewtwo, the conniving dastard. Good lord, I'm becoming Chrom. Mewtwo has been the one following me and watching me from the cliffs. Perhaps it's not a dream …_

 _..._

 _Then why can't I remember?'_

 _Robin shut the journal. He felt a presence to his right. "Mewtwo." He said casually. The Pokemon did not respond, electing to merely float next to him. There was a brief moment of silence. "Are you in my dream, or am I in your-"_

" _I am visiting your dream," Mewtwo responded. "Though it seems to be proving fruitless." Robin stared into the nearest pool, shimmering under the moonlight._

" _Fruitless, huh?" Robin chuckled. "What were you expecting to find?"_

" _Maybe an answer. Maybe more questions," Mewtwo responded. "I asked Lucina for help, but we only got so far. I don't think it's fair to ask her for anything else."_

" _She must've been disappointed."_

" _Distraught."_

 _Robin nodded. "Sounds like little Lucy. What have you found out?" He turned to face the psychic, who, despite not returning the glance, was clearly sizing Robin up. The wind began to wail through the tunnels, a child of some northerly winds, attempting to find it's parents in the sky. Robin could feel a slight chill. Wherever this was, it was in the north. Or it was reaching winter. Finally, Mewtwo spoke._

" _Wherever this place is, it's Hylian in nature," Mewtwo said matter-of-factly, "It seems to have originated from Zelda's dreamscape, and moved outward through the Triforce." He looked at Robin. "You do know about the Triforce, correct?"_

 _Robin shot Mewtwo a withering glance. "No, I never study any potential opponents or allies," He said bitterly, "I just survive off of pure luck and fairy dust."_

" _The Triforce has immense mental augmentation abilities." Mewtwo interrupted, not truly listening. "In layman's terms, it can enter other people to deliver messages, warnings, visions."_

" _Warnings?" Robin began, "You make it sound like the Triforce-"_

" _-Has a mind of it's own. It does," Mewtwo replied, "and I believe it to be omnipresent."_

" _So if it can see everything, why not fix the problem?" Robin asked. The wind began to scream, as if the very gods were hurling obscenities at him. Flecks of frost began to fall from the sky._

" _Perhaps you have a role to play." Mewtwo shrugged. Robin stood up. The wind was coming from a particular direction, a small tunnel to his right. He began walking towards it. "Ah, yes. This tunnel seems to draw everyone."_

" _So I'm not the only one seeing this?" Robin stepped into the tunnel. The wind seemed to calm, now beckoning him further in. The biting cold made him cling to his coat. He muttered several words, and fire erupted from several braziers in the walls. The shadows danced upon Mewtwo's pale skin and Robin's robe, the ornate designs leaping off the cloth._

" _No. Zelda, Bowser, and Lucina have all seen it."_

" _You invited Lucina."_

" _A necessary thing, mind you," Mewtwo replied, "Sometimes puzzles just need another perspective." Mewtwo stopped. He looked astonished. Robin turned around, facing the pokemon. "There was a barrier here. Why is it gone?" The tactician smirked._

" _Maybe it's just my natural charms?" He quipped._

" _You're naturally unfunny."_

 _Robin grinned, turning back to face the end of the tunnel. "So this is uncharted territory," He remarked, "Thrilling." As the tunnel expanded, Robin walked out into the snow. The initial sight was underwhelming, a small frozen lake, several trees, and lots of snow. As Robin looked upwards, though, he saw it._

 _The mountain._

 _It was enormous, the size of Mount Prism, easily. However, unlike either the Mountain of Origin or Mount Prism, it didn't look tranquil, nor did it look demonic or evil. It seemed to meld all these things together and freeze them into it's visage. It looked like it didn't welcome any visitors, nor did it care. Indifferent and cruel, yet still majestic._

 _Robin was overcome by it's beauty._

 _He turned to Mewtwo, who was staring at the mountain in shock._

" _What kind of gods would expect people to climb that?"_

* * *

Samus opened her ship as Robin finished his story. "Dude, that's ridiculous," She said, "But I thought you said this was important." Robin huffed.

"What, you don't think that a vivid dream with a psychic hitching a ride is important?" He asked.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Mewtwo does that all the time, and suppose he's right about the Triforce," She answered, "It could just be some … weird dream stream or something!" As they entered the ship, Samus called out to the computer.

"Adam! Run Diagnostic Two Dash Seventeen Rho Beta! And make sure the engine core is flushed?" She added on, exasperatingly.

" **Confirmed, Samus. And might I mention you look lovely as always?"**

"Thanks, you always know how to treat a girl right." Samus rolled her eyes, before turning to Robin. "Take a seat, Robby. Let's figure this thing out." Robin took the nearest seat, Samus chose to lie on a obviously transplanted couch. "So, Mr. Robin, why does this dream bug you so much?" She asked, writing a fake prescription in the air.

"Where to begin?" Robin started, "I suppose Mewtwo visiting me was a bit strange, or the fact that a Hylian landscape entered my head."

"Still, could all be a lie" Samus countered. "Neither of us have been to Hyrule."

"Agreed, I thought of that too."

"You think the Triforce is warning you about something?" She asked. Robin sighed, eyes darkened by lack of sleep.

"It's a thought," He said, "Not a great one, but it's very possible."

"What's wrong with that, though?"

"Well, considering my visions outside of this dream, the future doesn't look too pleasant." Robin responded. Samus raised her head, curious.

"What else did you see?"

The tactician shrugged. "The usual. Blood, wailing, tears." He paused to gauge Samus's reaction. It bordered disturbed. "You know, the fun ones." Before she could respond, Robin continued. "There was also this."

Robin took out a book from under his robe, tossing it to the bounty hunter. Samus caught it, lightly opening the book. Her eyes widened. " … _Damn."_ was all she managed to say.

"Yeah, damn."

The book was unremarkable in size, no bigger than a journal. It's brown leather cover was slightly worn. On the inside were pages of shorthand scribbles and notes, most of which Samus couldn't make out, but after two pages of that, sat legible text.

It was Robin's notebook, from the dream. There were even sketches of the mountain he talked about. Sketches of the pools of water, of the runes on the wall. Samus even recognized some of the runes, from Zel's attempted lessons on the Hylian language. Samus found herself to be a more … on-the-field kind of learner.

"What the heck, man?" She exclaimed, "How did you manage this?"

" _I_ didn't." Robin corrected Samus. His gaze was focused on the book. "I've never owned a book like this. The handwriting is mine, but …" He paused, "It isn't right."

"Really not right."

" _Extremely_ not right, would you say?"

Samus and Robin turned to the door. Neither of them had spoken. A large round creature had entered the ship. The creature was both tall and wide, with an extravagant red coat, and strange hat adorned with a gold band and nugget in the front. Robin had seen him around a couple times, but had yet to meet him. Samus groaned in annoyance.

"What'dya want, Dedede?" She asked. This 'Dedede' just moved into the room, his smile was vacant, but Robin could see the cogs turning in his brain. He looked at Samus, then Robin, then back to the bounty hunter.

"I just overheard your conversation, and I thought maybe I could help." The penguin continued. Samus rolled her eyes. The King pulled out a small card from his robe. "I've been watching Robin for awhile now, and I was planning to invite him into my little club." He handed the card to Robin. It was matte black, with gold etching:

Organization for Minor Incidents and Tomfoolery

Villains, Anti-Heroes, and Rogues Welcome!

King Dedede

Acting Presidente

"You can be a king and a president?" Robin asked. Samus snorted, clearly amused. "What do I get for joining your club?"

Dedede was quick to answer. "I can get you information about what you're seeing. Detailed ideas about the Triforce that Zelda knows, but won't tell you." He kept leaning closer and closer until the last few words were merely a whisper. "I can figure out why you got that journal, perhaps?"

Samus jumped from the couch. "Is there anywhere in this damn mansion that's secure?!" She shouted, "How many conversations have you eavesdropped on, you little sneak?"

Dedede grinned, almost cruelly, "More than enough, Ms. Aran. You would've noticed earlier, if you weren't so busy with your ward and studying so much Hylian." Samus was red in the face, a combination of embarrassment and anger. She walked over to a small locker, pulling out a wrench.

"Alright, bird-brain, now you get-" She exclaimed, before Robin put himself between the two. He stared down King Dedede.

"For every meeting that Samus and I go to, I want two of my questions answered." Robin was quiet and cold. "No answers, and we don't come back."

Dedede was already out the door, shouting "Deal!" before Robin could finish. Samus punched the tactician in the stomach.

"Don't rope me into one of your schemes." She said, almost hissing. Robin gasped, the breath knocked out of him.

"Just … one … meeting," he wheezed, "and you … can beat him up if he doesn't … deliver." Samus smiled at that.

"Alright, I'll take those odds."

* * *

"Pleeeeease, Ganondorf?"

"What on earth do you want, Dedede?"

Ganondorf sat in his room, dim lighting breaking through the darkness. As he sat at his desk, writing some notes on his and Robin's next opponent, King Dedede had taken the opportunity to visit him. These visits were almost always unwelcome.

"Listen, I need that book of yours, 'How to Conquer Hyrule on a Budget' or whatever! Robin asked me some questions and Samus was there and I tried being sneaky and aggressive and I made a comment about Zelda and I don't think it worked and now she's mad at me and I really need-"

"Shut. Up." Ganondorf commanded. King Dedede squeaked, then made no sound. Ganondorf continued. "First of all, my war plans and surveying of Hyrule is not some petty traveler's guide. And, here's a thought, maybe being mysterious and threatening doesn't work for the **_giant penguin_**!" Ganondorf got out of his seat. "I'll let you borrow it, but make sure it gets back to me, and don't let Zelda see it." He pulled a dusty book from one of his shelves, slinging it to the king. "I don't want her to get the wrong idea." Dedede blurted out several sentences of thanks, before beginning to waddle away. "Oh, Dedede," Ganondorf called out, "What _about_ Samus and Zelda?"

Dedede paused, before replying. "Samus asked Zelda to teach her Hylian."

Ganondorf rolled his eyes. Language lessons? Nothing concrete, and it wasn't as if Samus didn't have use for learning the language. Bounty hunters need to learn a lot of things while on the job. Only Dedede would find value in something like that. "I see. Carry on then."

He heard the sounds of waddling and the door slamming, and he was isolated again.

* * *

 ** _Thank you all for reading! Your support and reviews are always super helpful and I really enjoy reading them! Even with a hectic schedule, it really helps me focus on taking some time to write when I know that you guys enjoy the story!_**

 ** _As always, reviews and questions and critiques are wanted and loved! I'll respond to some next chapter, I'm still running a little on empty until Saturday!_**

 ** _Chapter 18: Lucina and Corrin Head to Flavortown_**


	18. Lucina and Corrin Go to Flavortown

**Lucina and Corrin Head to Flavortown: Side Chapter**

* * *

Lucina was nearing wit's end.

Granted, living with the Shepherds had given the princess an object lesson in patience. She had definitely been in tougher scraps and dealt with worse things. There was no 'end-of-the-world' crisis or anything, but still.

The dislocated shoulder was really starting to get to her.

It started with reading. Robin and Miriel had insisted that all the children read constantly, "Work out the brain," he said. Morgan and Laurent were already breaking the curve before this, and Severa and Owain read more than either of them would admit. And Lucina had found herself reading more than just the normal teaching curriculum very quickly. What nobody _had_ said was that it was hard to flip pages with only one usable arm. Still, it was simple to just curl up on the couch and use her legs as a stand. It was more comfortable too.

Then came showering and dressing. That was when she felt it the most. Her shoulder hurt slightly less, but seemed to scream in protest as she tried to lift it. Lucina just grunted and fought through it. After all, it was just a minor injury. She had been stabbed, slashed at, and burned, amongst other things.

But what really did it was cooking. Specifically, baking. People always mentioned how much Lucina resembled her father, how much she acted like her father. But most people didn't mention how she thought like her mother. How she baked like her mother. Lucina was discovering how hard it was to bake with only one arm.

That's how Corrin had found her, sitting in a pile of flour, staring at the ground, where a ruined pie lay, scattered with filling running down the tile floor. Lucina was still fixated on the floor, even after Corrin had picked her up. Lucina began to laugh weakly.

"I guess that's why they say 'slippery as an eel'!" She managed to choke out, tears beginning to run down her face. It took a few seconds for Lucina to compose herself. She took a shaky breath, before turning to Corrin. "I'm sorry, you must think I'm a fool, crying over a pie …"

Corrin shook her head. "No, I've cried over less," she admitted, "But you know, you can ask for help, right?" Lucina bit her lip in hesitation, before replying.

"I'm used to doing stuff alone, I thought I could handle it," Lucina sniffed, "I guess even cooking is difficult with one arm."

"Yeah, I learned that myself."

He leaned against the doorway, his face slightly obscured by shadow. It would've looked pretty cool, if he wasn't dwarfed by the two swordswomen. Lucina stared at the intruder, as Corrin snorted involuntarily. Little Mac walked into the room, face flush with embarrassment.

"Were you … trying to look cool?" Corrin asked. Her grin grew as Little Mac sneered at her.

" _Succeedin'_ is the word you're looking for," He corrected, silently walking into the room. He headed towards the fridge. "How about you two just take a seat. Having someone cook for you feels great when you're injured," Lucina opened her mouth to protest, but Little Mac turned towards her, "Trust me."

As the two sat at the table, Lucina could hear the sizzling of oil on the pan, as the diminuative boxer began chopping something up. "Where did you learn to cook?" She heard herself ask.

Little Mac shrugged, "I picked it up from my parents. They're Italian, you know," He paused, "Of course you don't, I keep forgetting." He continued, placing something in the pan. A pungent smell wafted through the room now. "My family was all about food. Keeps the family together after a long day if you cook." He started chopping again. "I might've been a fighter, but after this tournament, I think I'll start a restaurant or somethin'. Honor the folks."

"Why would you stop fighting?" Corrin asked, "I mean, you have crowds of dedicated fans at every fight!" Lucina hadn't seen the fight with Little Mac. Those 'painkillers' could really take a girl out of the game for a bit. She heard Little Mac sigh.

"Yeah, but look at where I am," He motioned around the room, "There are people from the future, people that use swords, and people that can literally use magic!" He paused again. "All I can do is punch hard. I'm honored to be here, and I honestly do think I have a chance to win this whole thing, but do you think I could go back after this?"

"I … suppose not." Corrin responded sheepishly.

"It wouldn't be a challenge!" He threw in something else into the pan, "I could never go back!"

"So is this the only tournament you'll participate in?" Lucina asked. Mac pretended to be focused on sauteeing whatever was in the pan. "Would you really be okay with only doing one tournament?"

The boxer started chopping again. "No," He finally admitted, "I wouldn't." He cracked two eggs into a bowl and scrambled them. "I would love to do this all the time. Fighting the best the universe has to offer?" He smiled, "But it all seems a bit finicky. I can't bet on getting invited again, so I'm planning ahead." Corrin and Lucina were silent, letting his words cover them like a veil. Lucina hadn't thought about the next tournament, or the thought of not getting invited back. In fact, it all just seemed like a nice distraction for the moment. One glance at Corrin showed that she felt the same way. The silence seemed to stifle the room, and the scent of onion and bacon became tangible. After a long breath in the conversation, Mac spoke up.

"Look, this may seem weird, but do you mind if I play music? I like having the chance to share the songs my world created."

Corrin grinned. "I love listening to new music!" She bounced a bit in her seat. Lucina smiled and nodded. Little Mac pressed some buttons on a small console on one of the counters, and a holographic screen popped up. The sound of a simple drum beat added to the atmosphere to the room. There was an intensity to the music, one that was overwhelming for Lucina initially. It was dark, heavy music.

"Is it meant to be so intimidating?" She asked, "It's very intense."

Little Mac looked at the princess. "Well, the song is about a bad relationship, and the band is known for angrier songs," He flushed suddenly, "If you don't like it, I can change it!" Lucina waved him off.

"Please, dont." She relaxed, leaning into her chair. "I would rather listen, no matter what it sounds like." And she let in all the smells and sounds.

 _'Crawling back to you … '_

Corrin had laughed at something. Probably something Little Mac had said. She could hear water boiling.

 _'Go and run yourself a million miles … '_

A new song. This one was much more soothing, the voice had a nasal quality to it. It became easy to lose herself into this one. Corrin and Mac were still talking, albight quieter than before.

 _'I tried to squeeze on your dreams … '_

This one was loud, but light. Lucina opened her eyes. This one made no sense. The lyrics hinted towards a darker song, but the music was happy. She frowned. She sat upright. Little Mac was beginning to put his dish onto plates, and Corrin was looking at Lucina, bemused.

"This song doesn't make sense."

Little Mac turned towards the princess. "I thought you were asleep," He started, "What do you mean?"

"Why would the song sound happy if the singer is upset?"

Little Mac shrugged. "I dunno," He admitted, "A lot of people in my world do that. Masking or coming to terms with stuff, maybe? Besides," He continued, "It's not that simple. This song is about trying to be better for someone, despite ruining what they had."

"And? It's still sad."

"But kinda uplifting, don't you think? Might be too late, but at least he's trying." Little Mac put a plate in front of Lucina, "I mean, it's okay if you don't like it."

Lucina shook her head. "I like it a lot … I think," she responded, "But it would be disingenuous of me to not admit to being confused." She sniffed the plate. It was a pasta, covered in a white sauce with small bits of meat woven in. "What is this?"

"Pasta Carbonara," Mac answered, "It's … _kinda_ traditional." He shrugged. "It's got bacon, eggs, cheese, pasta … all the good stuff."

Corrin had already started eating. "I don't care what it's made of, it's gooooood!" She almost howled. "Lucy! Try it!"

Lucina put a small bite in her mouth. She was almost attacked by the flavor initially. Basil, parmesean, eggs and cream. There was the saltiness of the bacon, countered by the egg and cream sauce. She took another bite. Then another. Soon she was scarfing it down. Little Mac laughed.

"And you didn't think I could run a restaurant."

* * *

 _'If you want me to go, then I'll go …'_

Another angry song. It was fast, bombastic, and complex. But most of all, it was another melancholic song. Corrin said what was Lucina's mind.

"In our world, we sing about heroes and success in battle. About marraiges and happy times," She observed, "Is everything so … sad in your world?"

"Not really," Little Mac answered, "There's a lot of happy songs about relaxation and family and the like." The boxer bit his lip. "Honestly though, things changed. It became easier to sing about everything. Everything can be a story worthy of sharing, y'know?" He took the girl's plates. They both thanked him for the food, and began to head out. Lucina turned around.

"Can you send me some music?" She asked abruptly. Little Mac smiled.

"Sure, I can do that." And with that, he left the room. It was quiet again, save for the sounds of discinct humming coming from the Ylissean princess.

* * *

 _ **Hey everyone, thank you so much for your patience! I've been super busy the past two months, and July and August are keeping steady. But now things are in a schedule, so I can update more regularly again!**_

 ** _This mini-chapter is an idea I had that didn't really belong in any of the chapters I wrote. A lot of the next parts have nothing to do with Lucina, who's still in recovery, but the idea of Little Mac going full 'mom' for her and Corrin was too much to resist._**

 _ **Again, a huge thanks to everyone for their support, and as always, I love hearing what I can improve or any questions you have!**_


	19. Dark Tide Rising

_**Chapter 18 is now replaced with Mini-Chapter 1! Go back if you want to read about Italian food and Little Mac talking about music and family.**_

 **Dark Tide Rising**

* * *

Robin looked over the card.

Nope, it was the same as it was earlier. The matte black surface seemed to suck in light, but there was nothing supernatural about it. The gold lettering shimmered under the fluorescent lamps; still, there was no otherworldly feelings or shades of magic. Robin frowned, slightly disappointed.

It was just a plain card. A corner of it had already lost it's edge in his pocket, even. He wasn't even sure what he was expecting, honestly. Dedede promised answers at the meeting, not riddles in the invitation. Still, it would have made for something interesting …

"Lost in thought, hmm?" Shades of burgundy shifted into Robin's field of vision. "How does Cordelia stand it?"

"Who knows," He replied, "You could ask her." Anna sat on the desk, near Robin's seat.

"I'm liable to get a spear in the face if I say bad things about you to her." Anna chuckled to herself. Robin grinned as well. As he turned to focus on the card, the shopkeeper swiped it out of his hand. "Keeping secrets?" She scolded, "What on earth is this?" Before Robin could explain, Anna was already reading intently. "This sounds..." She gave Robin a look of amusement, " … kinda lame. I'm coming along."

Robin turned his head towards Anna. " … _what?"_ He finally managed to ask. Anna shrugged, pocketing the card.

"Look, if it's some weird twisted trap, someone's gotta be there to bail you out," She said, "And besides, I feel like I fit the description of 'rogue' a little better than you, wouldn't you agree?"

Robin thought about arguing, but stopped himself. Anna did have a point. And Robin didn't have a good history with secret meetings. He sighed heavily before facing the trickster. Anna was grinning broadly. "Alright," He said, "You can tag along."

The redhead walked towards the door. "Glad I could make you see reason, Robby!" She exclaimed, "I'll make sure to be dressed to the nines!" Robin could almost hear her saunter down the hall. He grimaced. Anna could stifle a room with her smugness, sometimes. He looked at the clock. Twenty minutes and counting.

* * *

Usually, the Sheikah suit was tight, muggy, and uncomfortable. Tonight, however, it felt like a shadow lying upon Zelda's body. She felt electricity in the air, an aura of discontent on the rooftops of the Smash Mansion. She was positioned so she could listen in on Dedede's little 'club' without being detected. Part of her felt a slight bit of shame. It was doubtful that Dedede was planning anything sinister; or even had the ability. However, there was a twist in her stomach. The idea that something was bound to happen.

"Spying again, Princess."

Zelda whipped her head around. Metaknight stood next to her, the icy wind moving his cape. Zelda feebly motioned for Metaknight to keep quiet. He shrugged.

"I honestly don't understand what you're hoping to find. Dedede just serves tea and cookies for us. It's a good way to decompress," He sat down next to her, "I could introduce you ..."

Zelda pulled down her mask, hissing. "No!" She whispered, "I can't be seen here!" Metaknight looked at her quizzically.

"Because you're a princess?"

"Because I have a bad feeling about tonight." Zelda shivered. The air had cooled significantly. "I need to put myself at ease in my own way."

"Suit yourself," Metaknight replied, "But I think I'll risk the cookies and tea." As Metaknight flew away, Zelda could hear other voices. She could make out Dedede's unique laugh, along with Bowser and Wario, who seemed desperate to talk over one another. There were other, muddled voices in the background, but it became more and more difficult to discern them as more people arrived. _For a small group of smashers, quite a few of them are part of this club,_ She thought. Zelda decided to peek over the top of the roof. She looked over into a small courtyard. Dedede was busy talking to Samus's manager. Yulie or something like that. Pit's dark clone and Peach's other princess friend were eating cookies while occasionally chatting. Mewtwo was also talking to Lucario and a … very poorly disguised Pikachu. Though, Zelda did admit, the small white mask and top hat did make the Pokemon cuter somehow. And there, in the edge of her view, sat Ike, Game and Watch, and Cloud. Zelda nearly yelled out in surprise. _Cloud?!_ She was incredulous, but even worse, Zelda felt something akin to … jealousy. She had never been invited to events like this. As a child, she was 'too young'. As an adult, she had a kingdom to run. Everyone seemed so … carefree, while she worked on trade disputes and diplomacy. She paused; she felt herself shaking.

"It's not too late to join the party, you know."

Zelda grunted. Metaknight had appeared next to her perch. He held a small cup of tea, along with several cookies in his gloved hand. He held them out like a peace offering. She snatched a cookie from his hand. It was good. Really good. Zelda hated that. Samus and Peach had forced her to learn how to cook, but most of her childhood was 'stay away from hot surfaces and knives and anything that could conceivably harm you'.

"Not going to acknowledge your friend?" Zelda blinked as Metaknight broke her train of thought. She shook her head.

"Forgive me," she said, "I was thinking of home." She shifted awkwardly, taking a sip of the tea brought to her. She recognized the brew as Peach's favorite tea. "And I'd rather not. I don't feel like I'd ..."

"... Fit in?"

" … Yes, I suppose that _is_ the correct term," She reluctantly said, "And I just have this feeling deep inside. Dread."

"Dread?" He was hidden behind that mask, but Zelda could feel the curiousity pouring from him.

"I just have this feeling. I can see a great canyon in my dreams, the bottom hidden in shadow and mist."

"Enigmatic, but I'm unswayed," Metaknight responded, "I won't force you, though." He floated from the rooftop, attempting to make himself as conspicuous as possible. Zelda groaned. Of course. Time to relocate.

* * *

Robin walked into the small courtyard. It looked like one of Maribelle's tea parties. He felt a shiver down his spine. _Never too early for a flashback, I suppose._ He felt a hand on his shoulder, tearing him away from his thoughts. Anna was looking at him, clearly amused.

"Looks like a tea party!" She exclaimed, giving Robin a knowing glance. "If it's anything like Maribelle's, I'll be sure to leave you after 15 minutes." She patted his back before moving into the courtyard. Robin scowled. If he didn't know better, he would've assumed that Anna was accidentally pushing his buttons. She was already chatting up that other manager. At least there was punch at the table.

Robin felt a large hand slap him on the back, sending him into a set of carefully set chairs. As he shook his head clear, he saw the shadow of a very large penguin. He was unceremoniously lifted up. Robin closed his eyes, preparing for the end, and felt the small squeeze of a … hug?

"Robin! I'm so glad you could make it!" Dedede's voice echoed through the courtyard. "Welcome!"

Robin was less than thrilled. Being thrilled required air, which he was running short of. He struggled to get out the words, squirming in Dedede's grip.

"I think you're squeezing him too tight." Anna intervened, the other manager and Metaknight standing beside her. Dedede immediately let go of the tactician. Robin spluttered and gasped, clawing desperately for air. The penguin looked very embarrassed.

"I'm so sorry, my friend!" He apologized profusely, "So, so, so, sorry! I didn't mean to injure you! Are you alright? If you're not …" Robin started phasing out, putting his hand out as he got up slowly.

"It's alright. It's alright." He kept repeating, until Dedede finally quieted down. "I'm … glad to be here as well." Dedede brightened up almost instantaneously. He grabbed Robin's hand and started pulling him towards the rest of the party. He could hear Anna and her friend laughing at his misfortune. He even heard a small chuckle from Metaknight. Robin groaned. _Stay positive, Robin. Always positive..._

Being positive was easier after he saw Pikachu. Well, technically, he had been hit by a negative charge after he laughed at the Pokemon's outfit, but the word play didn't have the same effect. Oh well, at least he got Ike to laugh at his joke. Cloud was dour as usual, but seemed to be relatively pleased to see Robin, and Game & Watch had just arrived to the mansion, taking the extra week of no single battles off. Robin would have to study the flat creature more, his … situation was unique and interesting. As Dedede led him to the next group, Robin grabbed a couple of small cookies from the table. He tasted one. _Darn, a perfect Gingersnap cookie,_ Robin thought to himself.

"Do you bake everything yourself?" Robin asked.

"Nah, we rotate baking, brewing, and cooking for each week," Dedede explained, "I brewed tea and lemonade, Game-n-Watch cooked the hors d'oeuvres, and Metaknight baked." Robin gave Dedede an incredulous look. "I know, I know! People don't expect me to be a tea brewing master, but there you go!"

Robin sighed, but he found himself grinning. As they reached a set of neatly laid out chairs and umbrellas, Robin froze. He had seen this woman before. In the film room.

She wore an elegant electric blue dress, which matched her eye color. Her blonde hair covered one eye, adding an air of mystique to her. She was busy talking to Pit's clone, but Robin could still feel her attention shift to the duo approaching her. He didn't have any extrasensory perception or the like, but his mind was screaming warnings when she turned to face them.

"Robin, this is Dark Pit and Rosalina," Dedede said, "I know you have to face Rosalina in two days, but I like to think that we're all friends here, right?"

"Y-yeah, that makes sense." Robin stuttered out. Rosalina held out her hand. Robin took it. As they shook, Robin noticed that her grip was almost intentionally loose. Not out of impoliteness, but out of necessity. "How do you do?" He finally asked. Rosalina smiled. It was disarming, to say the least.

"I'm doing very well, Sir Robin," She said softly, "Thank you for asking." Her voice was quiet, but it seemed like everything grew quiet just to hear her speak. As Dedede continued conversing with the two, Robin became more and more unnerved. It wasn't just Rosalina, he realized. There was something else, hidden from view. As he looked around, he noticed that Mewtwo and Lucario, though busy talking to Pikachu, were also perturbed by something. Rosalina had also stopped talking. Robin turned to where he had last seen Anna and Metaknight. They were gone. He felt a spinning sensation, as if he was on unsteady ground.

"Dedede, I think I'm gonn- gonna take a seat." Robin stumbled with his words, but managed to wave lightly as he sat on a nearby lawn chair. He began to see streaks of light in the sky. _Were the cookies drugged or something?_ He felt himself grow weary, his eyelids slowly closing.

"A nap wouldn't hurt, would it?" He asked himself, before finally falling asleep.

* * *

Robin was watching himself die.

The courtyard was different. There were no people, no excitable penguins, or any of the like. All Robin could see were birds, empty chairs …

And another Robin, gasping for air. A glowing sword was sticking through his stomach, pinning him into the ground. He walked towards his doppelganger.

"What led us to this moment, friend?" Was all he could manage to ask. The other Robin didn't respond. A raven landed near Robin.

"What're you doing, staring at yourself?" The raven asked, in a familiar voice, "Sounds like fun, but it's unlike you."

Robin blinked. The bird sounded a lot like … " _Henry?_ "

"Kya ha ha! In the flesh, buddy!" The raven took a step closer, "I know this is weird, but it's no _caws_ for alarm!" The raven … Henry Raven? Gave off a series of calls that were similar to laughter.

"This is a dream, right? I'm not just crazy?" Robin asked, the answer a little more important than he wanted to admit.

"Robin, I'm a raven," Henry answered, "I'm pretty sure Cordelia is a cardinal and Lon'qu keeps pecking at a tree stump. I think this might be a tiny little bit like a dream." Robin groaned. Even his dreams were becoming enigmatic and annoying recently.

"Robin, is that you?" A small cardinal perched itself onto Robin's shoulder. Henry was right, it was definitely Cordy. "My love, are you okay?"

"I … no. I don't think so," Robin answered, "I'm not sure if I've been drugged or possessed or something, but I keep seeing more and more visions and premonitions." He motioned to the other Robin, who was starting to grow still. "And this, I don't even know what this is."

"If this is a premonition, buddy, it doesn't look too good." Henry observed. Robin could hear Cordelia scoff on his shoulder.

"Well, I reject this. I'm not letting this happen." She said with conviction.

"But he looks so cool, like art," Henry said, "But with blood." He amended. Robin shot him a withering glare. Cordelia gave a sharp chirp of derision.

"Alright, let's say this is a premonition," He began, "What does it mean?" He noticed a woodpecker and roadrunner join the group. The woodpecker spoke first.

"We either all turn into birds, or you die," _Lon'qu. Great._ "It's rather obvious."

"Contextually speaking, that would be the correct assumption." The roadrunner was wearing square glasses, and spoke much like Miriel. Robin closed his eyes. Maybe if he fell asleep in the dream, he'd wake up. Miriel continued. "I believe, however, that us in bird form are just manifestations from Robin's mind, with the sole purpose of easing his discomfort and perhaps provide the necessary assistance to facilitate a solution to this conundrum." There was silence, as Robin let her statement sink in.

"So is the conundrum _who_ kills me, or _why?"_ Robin asked aloud.

Henry shrugged. "Who knows? It's _your_ funeral."

* * *

Zelda sat up with a jolt. She must've fallen asleep. Looking around, she sighed with relief. Still on the rooftops, overlooking the party. The princess stretched, trying to keep herself as low to the ground as possible. She had seen Robin and his assistant enter the party. But now they were separated. Robin was by himself, breathing heavily as he sat up in his chair. They had woken up at the same time, but Robin was clearly the worse off from whatever knocked them both out. Zelda saw Dedede approach the tactician, as others went about their business. It was then that Zelda noticed that not only was Robin's assistant missing, but so was Metaknight and Samus's …

"I know you're royalty, but spying on my friends is kinda my thing."

Zelda turned around. The redhead was glaring daggers into the princess. Metaknight and the other manager were standing on the rooftop as well. Zelda scowled. At this point, she might as well have just dressed in her gown. The star warrior sat down next to her, handing her a cup. She could smell the alluring aroma of the chamomile tea.

"I thought you might like some visitors and some tea," Metaknight finally said, "I know that always helps me." Zelda took a sip of the tea. It was pretty much flawless. Goddesses, did she hate that Penguin.

"It's appreciated, but unnecessary." Zelda said flatly. She could feel the disapproving stares of both Robin's friend and Samus's manager behind her, but she didn't really care. There was something much more interesting occurring below her. Robin was speaking with Dedede, who seemed to be hiding something behind his back. It looked like … a book?

* * *

"Are you alright, friend?"

Dedede approached Robin cautiously. The tactician found himself breathing very heavily. He clutched his chest, checking for any wounds on his person. _Alright, definitely a dream._ He thought. He looked at the concerned penguin and smiled.

"Just a small nightmare," He replied, "Nothing to really worry about." He tried smiling again. It seemed to placate Dedede, who moved closer.

"Well, I just wanted to thank you for coming," He began, "I promised you some information about Hylian culture, and so..." Dedede pulled out a book. It had a dark red binding, and on the cover was a small image of the Triforce. "... I borrowed this."

Robin looked over the book. It felt heavier than a normal book, as if the words inside held a great weight all their own. He studied Dedede's face. A strange mixture of nerves and excitement read on his expression. "I love it," Robin responded, "It's incredible that you've come across such a thing."

"Well … how I got it isn't that important. I just got it from a friend." Dedede shifted around, obviously uncomfortable. Robin patted his shoulder.

"No matter how you got it, I appreciate it." Robin looked around. Anna and her friends were still conspicuously missing. "This will definitely help with my research."

* * *

"What on earth did that penguin give him?" Anna hissed into Zelda's ear. Zelda sneered at the shopkeeper.

"Obviously a _book_ , if you would take the time to stop leering at me." She retorted, before looking back onto the more interesting scene. Robin seemed to be pleased, and Dedede was even more celebratory. Zelda squinted. The book was old. And red. Not always a good combination. She'd have to investigate at some other point. As she attempted to turn around, she felt a strong stare coming from Anna. She rolled her eyes. "What, did I do something to upset you?"

Anna crossed her arms. "I don't like people spying on _my_ clients," She responded, "And I have the means to make sure nobody does that again." The ninja girl nodded in agreement.

"It's a bad bad _bad_ breach of etiquette." She scolded.

Zelda shrugged. "Look, I don't have time for _this,_ " She motioned to the two managers, "The Triforce of Wisdom has never been wrong, and your friend is giving me more than just restless nights." She turned around. Robin and Dedede were now looking around for someone. "Looks like your boyfriend is looking for you."

* * *

" … Excuse me? Girlfriend?"

Robin gave Dedede a quizzical look. The penguin shrugged. "I thought I saw you two making out on opening day," He said, "I mean, there's only so many red-headed women out there."

Robin was having a hard time between being annoyed and amused. "My wife would be another one of those 'red-headed women', Dedede." He finally said. The penguin's whole face looked like a tomato.

"Oh my. Now I feel ashamed." He muttered. Robin laughed.

"No, no. It's absolutely forgivable," He assured Dedede, "I just want to make sure I don't give the wrong impression. Anna's a … resourceful person, and it pains me to admit, but she's a good friend, and …"

* * *

"... That's all we are, got it?" Anna snapped.

"Sure, sure," Zelda retorted, "You just talk to him and seek him out because you're friends, is that it?" It was a shot in the dark, but Anna seemed to be more than she admitted. She could be hiding something. "In my experience, that's what Hylians would call a red flag."

"Yes!" Anna exclaimed, "That's what friends do!" She paused a bit, and her furious breaths were heard over the whispers of the wind. " _Not like you understand what friendship is, right, princess? You and your weirdo culture!_ "

Zelda whipped around. "You take that back." She whispered harshly. _Damn, she got me._ Zelda thought. Metaknight and Yuffie looked at each other, concerned. Zelda agreed. _It's almost as if I'm compelled to …_ "Take it back _ **now**_." _… Great._

Anna sneered. "Welcome to real life, I don't have to answer to you. But you're gonna answer to me _now._ "

Correction: something was _very_ wrong. Zelda felt herself snarling. Metaknight began to move forward, hoping to intercept, but Zelda was too fast. She tackled Anna, bringing her hard onto the rooftops. Anna's eyes grew to the size of platters.

" _Give it a try, hussie._ " Zelda growled out. Almost twenty years of frustration, of people telling her what she could and couldn't do, filled her in one moment. She lifted her arm, only to feel a hand holding her back. She could hear the ninja's voice.

"What's wrong with you?!" She could faintly hear her shout. There was a fog around her head. The Triforce of Wisdom was never wrong, but why was she suddenly making such rash and violent choices. What kind of future was she subconsciously feeling? Tears were now rolling down her face.

"I-I'm so sorr-sorr-sorry!" Zelda was now wailing. She rolled off of the redhead, who was still staring at the princess. Metaknight put his hand on Anna's shoulder.

"Give her some space, I'm sure she'll apologize in time." Yuffie nodded, and Anna slowly got up. Anna was tearing up.

"I'll have to apologize as well," She said, "I … don't know what came over me." And with that, she left.

Zelda was now on one knee, choking back sobs. That wasn't normal. She wasn't overwhelmed or angry anymore. But she felt something new. A dark pit in her stomach. Foreboding.

Fear.

* * *

"There you are, Anna!" Robin finally saw her, sitting by Yuffie. He started walking over, when he paused. Anna was _crying._ Anna never cried. "Hey, are you alright?"

Anna nodded, before getting up. "Don't worry about me," She said, attempting to be reassuring. "Let's just get back." Robin understood, and bid Dedede farewell.

Despite Anna's protests, Robin decided to make his bed for her. It was more than just a bad fight with Zelda. Something had actively affected her, and Robin had made the decision that Anna would be safer with someone. Needless to say, she wasn't happy with the decision.

"I'm trying to prove that I'm not trying to seduce you, and you tell me to stay with you in your _bedroom?!_ " She was nearly shouting. Whatever Zelda had said had really messed with Anna. Robin shrugged.

"Alright, I have no clue where this came from, but we're friends." Robin touched Anna's shoulder. She ripped herself away, crawling in between the sheets. "I trust you, and I hope you trust me." Anna huffed into the pillow, but was quiet after that. "Did Zelda say something to you?" He finally asked.

Anna was quiet for a minute, before finally responding. " … She called me a _hussy._ " Her voice was meek, almost coming out like a small squeak. Robin put down the book, looking back at the bed. Anna was now under the covers, with just her eyes peering from the blankets.

"But you're not one," Robin reasoned, "I mean, you've never tried to do anything to _me_ , so it's not a big deal."

Anna glared at him, before turning away. "You don't get it," She said, "It's not just something you can wave away."

"I don't follow."

"People keep thinking we're something we're not," She explained, "And eventually, that'll bite us where the sun don't shine." Anna curled up even tighter. "You're one of my best friends, but I don't want people to keep mistaking us as a couple! I won't be able to face Stahl..."

"It was just tonight," Robin reassured Anna, "Something happened, but it's okay. Stahl will probably find this funny, and it's not like we're having an affair or anything." He smiled at Anna. Right, she was facing away. "I'm not gonna let some entitled idiots dictate who my friends are. You're one of my best friends as well, and neither Cordy or I want you to stop," Robin paused, " … Being our friend, I mean." He heard some mumbling.

"Thanks. You're usually terrible at reassuring me, but that was passable."

"Glad I could help," Robin responded, smiling, "You should rest. Psychic backlash will feel like an abysmal hangover tomorrow."

"Yeah, you think?" Anna drawled out, drowsiness taking over quickly. "I already … have … one …" There was silence for a few minutes, before the small sounds of snoring filled the room. _So Anna snores. Good to know._ Robin flipped open the book. It was neatly written, small compact cursive in neat little rows. Everything was categorized, even the journals in the back. Robin paused. There was an earmarked page, just behind the journals. Etched in gold at the top was the Triforce. There were three categories below the image. A lot of it looked to be marked out and edited heavily, unlike the rest of the book. Robin read what was legible.

 _Two parts of the Triforce seems to give the user the ability to see into past lives. The triforces of Wisdom and Courage have picked out bloodlines that they will follow for an indeterminate amount of time. Potentially until the end of all things. This is what I've gathered about each piece of the Triforce._

 _Power: Abnormal strength, as well as the ability to shapeshift. Despite several fatal wounds, nothing seems to be able to kill me. Eternal life and strong magical powers seem to also be a benefit of this piece of the Triforce. … Test failed, I cannot dominate other pieces of the Triforce by themselves._

 _Courage: There seems to be nothing spectacular about the Triforce of Courage. At first. The owner of this piece seems to have a supernatural ability to turn the tide of any situation. It's not just pure luck, but also a gift of willpower. The ability to change into a wolf seems to be a side effect of the Triforce. Courage seems to counter Power's abilities._

 _Wisdom: Clairvoyance of a certain degree. The Triforce of Wisdom seems to be the best triforce to communicate messages and warnings. It also gives the user psychic abilities, which become more pronounced if the wielder is proficient at magic. Suggestion and mind control (?) potential abilities that someone could gain._

Robin stopped reading. It was clear to him now. Intentional or not, there was only one explaination for what occurred tonight, why Anna was distraught over what amounted to a case of mistaken identity, and why she and Zelda almost killed each other.

Zelda was either faking, or she was losing control of her Triforce.

* * *

 ** _The plot thickens! Will Robin find anything else in his newly acquired book? Will Zelda ever make as good a cup of tea as King Dedede? And what of Pikachu? Will he finally become dark and mysterious, like in his wildest dreams?_**

 ** _None of those questions will be answered in the next chapter: Crevasses at the Edge of the Mind_**

 ** _As always, thank you all for your support and patience! The next chapter will be out shortly, I didn't like sections of it after a second edit, so this is only a double update._**


	20. Quarterfinals Day 1

_**Hey guys, I'm really sorry about this huge wait. New job, mixed with moving, led to me putting this on the back burner until I felt comfortable. I really appreciate all of the support I got while I was gone, and wanted to reassure you guys that I'm not gone forever or anything, and now I'll be writing consistently for the next couple months at least, so let's get some stuff done!**_

* * *

 **Crevasses At the Edge of the Mind/Quarterfinals Day 1**

It had been silent for almost 45 minutes. Precisely 43 minutes, 24 seconds, actually. Samus looked at her watch. She only had another hour before she met with Lucina for film study. But she was torn.

"You don't have to stay with me. I'm perfectly capable of handling myself." Zelda was sitting at her desk. Samus would normally accept her words and take her leave, but Zelda was acting peculiar, to say the least. Her hair was disheveled, her eyes had dark rings around them, indicative of a very poor night's sleep. She kept rocking back and forth on her chair, flipping through book after book. She wasn't wearing any of her normal clothes, wearing a loose tank top and shorts. She had also neglected to wear makeup. Samus caught herself staring. Zelda just looked so … vulnerable, yet cute, in a studious librarian wa-

 _What am I saying?_ Samus shook herself back into reality. She took a deep breath, and spoke. "Sorry, Zel, but you look like hell." Zelda shrugged, almost defeated. "It's not like you! Can you tell me what's wrong?" she felt her voice strain.

Zelda handed her a book. "I tried to kill Robin's manager last night," she admitted, "It was all so foggy. Too foggy." Samus looked at the cover. _Telepathy and Kinesis_ was the title.

"You think someone's messing with your head?" Samus asked. Zelda nodded blankly. Samus felt a tinge of anger. Zelda was high-strung, maybe a bit prudish, and the Triforce of Wisdom made her a little paranoid, but she was a good person. She didn't deserve to have her head messed with.

"That's not all."

Samus looked back at Zelda. She was staring at the floor, shaking. Samus stood up from her chair, covering the ground between them faster than even she thought she could. She held Zelda's hand. "What else happened?"

"Someone or … some _thing_ is amplifying my Triforce." Zelda felt the tears roll down her cheeks. "I know that Robin, Lucina, Mewtwo, and Bowser have all been in my _head,_ Samus." her voice was raising, her words tumbling together, frantic and almost incoherent. "Everyone's getting into my head and all of my anxieties are _right there_ , phantoms just … _waiting_ for me to crack, and now I'm wasting your time and you'll leave just like …" Zelda gasped. Samus had wrapped her arms around the princess, and Zelda could feel her uneven breathing.

"I'm not leaving you, alright," Samus was giggling a little, "You're my best friend in this mental ward. You're never wasting my time." The bounty hunter looked at Zelda. Her big blue eyes were wide, emoting both joy and shock. "I'm not gonna die, alright? And whoever's messing with you is _gonna_ have to deal with me." Zelda nodded blankly. "I'll talk to Mewtwo, Lucy, and Robin," Samus continued, "I'll even take care of Bowser if you want. Maybe they have an answer."

Zelda was quiet. "What should I do?" she asked meekly.

"The only thing you need to do is apologize to Anna, okay?" Samus answered, "I'm sure she'll want to apologize as well."

Zelda nodded. "Alright," she said, "I'll need to get ready." Samus immediately stood up and started moving towards the door. "Wait," Zelda said, "It's okay if you want to stay." The bounty hunter felt her face go red, before she stammered out a response.

"N-nah! It's okay!" she said nervously, "I should go help you investigate and get to film study!" With that, Samus walked stiffly out of the room, closing the door a little too fast. "I'll see you later!" Zelda sighed to herself, before somberly walking into the bathroom.

* * *

"So you saw yourself dying?"

"Yeah, it doesn't exactly bode well, does it?"

Robin and Bowser were sitting in a small garden, sipping tea, accompanied by Peach, Fox, and Rosalina. With Samus and Lucina studying for their fight, Rosalina had insisted that Robin and Bowser be invited to their weekly tea party. Fox was there because of the crumpets.

"Yeah, it seems pretty dark, honestly," Bowser concurred, "Are you sure nothing else was in your dream?"

Robin contorted his face as he thought to himself. "... Well, some of my friends were birds," he finally said, "does that have any significance?"

"Birbs?" Fox said, mouth filled with crumpets, "Seemth like a nermble nightmare." Peach hit the pilot in the back of the head.

"Stop talking with your mouth full, or I'm never inviting you here again." she said menacingly. As the fox nodded quickly, she turned her attention to Robin. "Anything else from your little shindig last night?" Peach asked, "Metaknight told me some interesting tales from the party."

Robin sipped his tea, nonplussed. He raised his eyebrow slightly. "Honestly, I have no idea what you mean."

"Right. Read any good books lately?" Robin struggled to keep his tea in his mouth, as Peach was giving him a scathing look. Honestly, it was hard enough, drinking scalding hot tea. Her looks of suspicion only increased his nervousness.

Robin finally gulped the tea down. "I've perused the histories of several worlds while I've been here." he responded, "Some poetry, fables, that kind of thing." He took another sip of his tea.

"Military strategy?" Fox perked his ears up as the other members of the tea party looked at the tactician. This time, Robin was unfazed. His gaze darkened. Peach kept her quiet fury focused on him, refusing to back down. "Maybe some books on the Hylian culture?"

"Oh," Robin said quietly, "That too."

"Samus told me that Dedede gave you something of interest." Peach continued. Robin raised an eyebrow. Samus was at the party? Did he miss something? "And your friend was spying on Zelda, so …"

"I heard," Robin interrupted, "But I didn't appreciate her calling said friend a _hussy,_ if we're playing this game." Peach's face turned red.

"Okay, Zelda really did mess up in a terrible way, but that doesn't make my question invalid," Peach was frowning, embarrassment oozing from her words, "I mean, do you even know what it is or where it came from?"

Robin shrugged. "It's a simple leather-bound book, worn. Dedede wouldn't disclose the previous owner, but it's about Hylian culture and legends."

Fox swallowed up the last crumpet. "Seems kinda weird that Dedede wouldn't tell you where he got it from, though." Robin nodded.

"I've been investigating it," he said, "It's likely an old manuscript by either an elder or historian. It's very detailed, but there's no author marked anywhere in the work."

"Quite the gift, Robin," Peach said, "Why would he give you something like that?"

Robin twiddled his thumbs, his face screwed in thought. "I may have attempted to make a … deal with him," he said with trepidation, "Attendance to his party in exchange for knowledge about Hyrule." The looks on everyone's faces confirmed his worries. Even Bowser looked at him worriedly. "I know, not my best moment, but I like knowing as much as I can about the people around me."

"As logical as that may be, there are problems with your line of thinking." Rosalina finally spoke up, catching everyone's attention. It wasn't Robin's imagination from last night. Even with her quiet voice, something about how she talked demanded silence. "Why don't you ask Zelda and Link for help in your endeavors? I'm sure they could give you assistance." Robin shifted in his seat, awkwardly attempting to avoid Rosalina's gaze.

"I've always gotten this …" Robin paused, trying to find an appropriate word, "negative feeling from Zelda. I'm not teamed up with Ganondorf by choice, but I always felt that …" Another pause, "that she _feels_ like I actively went to him."

"She doesn't trust you." Bowser confirmed. Robin nodded.

"And the idea of approaching Link never occurred to me," Robin continued, "I felt like doing my own research would do the least amount of damage." Rosalina seemed placated by Robin's answer, even if he himself didn't feel so pleasant about it.

"The damage may have already been done."

Samus walked into the garden, accompanied by Lucina. Both of them had clearly been training, towels lazily hung over their shoulders. As they approached the table, Lucina looked at Robin with perplexion. Robin shrugged. He was still confused by everyone freaking out over a book.

"Alright Sammy, what do you mean by that?" Peach grabbed at a basket for a crumpet, which was now empty, thanks to a vulpine pilot. Fox suddenly became very interested in the immaculate lawn. Peach grumbled.

"Zelda's been having visions," Samus began, noticing Peach's shrug, " _worse_ visions than usual, if that helps. And it seems like other people are bleeding into her 'dreamscape'" The reactions were mixed. Bowser, Robin, and Lucina seemed worried and embarrassed. Fox and Peach looked confused, and Rosalina had closed her eyes, lost in thought. It seemed that Zelda was right: At least three people had been in her dreams.

"Dreamscape? I mean, that still doesn't explain last night." Peach was biting her lip. "I mean, Zelda's prickly sometimes, but she's never fought somebody before."

Samus frowned. "Well, that leads to my second point," She continued, "Zelda believes that someone might be interfering with her Triforce or something."

"What would that possibly do?" Now it was Bowser's turn to ask a question. "How do you even _do_ that?"

"Well," Samus continued, "Zel was reading about psychics and the like …" Robin waved her off, halting the bounty hunter's talk. His face was grave, brow furrowed in thought.

"Hmmm, it makes sense," He said, "someone with powerful psychic abilities can read minds. It's feasible that someone could implant ideas or influence decisions."

"Or she could just be crazy." Bowser offered. Samus glared at the Koopa, who shrugged in apology.

Robin shook his head, lost in thought. "I don't know how she feels about me, but I've experienced something … similar. Maybe I can help."

"I'm not so sure she trusts you, Robin." Samus confirmed, "Anyone associated with Ganondorf tends to rate poorly with her." Robin tapped his fingers on his chin, humming to himself.

"Even so, I'd rather attempt to bridge this gap than let it sit." He said decisively, "I don't think I can do any harm. Well, any more harm."

Robin took another sip of tea as the room fell into a dull silence. Robin looked at a small digital clock hanging conspicuously on the wall near the entrance of the garden. It was almost time for his and Ganondorf's turn in the film room again. He bid farewell the other smashers, and entered the building again.

"Robin!"

He turned back towards the entrance. Lucina was jogging towards him, a look of worry set upon her face. He kept walking as soon as Lucina caught up, and she awkwardly shuffled into the same pace.

"What did you make of that, Lucina?" Robin asked, "You were rather quiet this time around."

Lucina bit her lip, "I'm not sure what you plan to do," she finally confessed, "You're not going to confront her, are you?"

Robin grimaced, "I'd … prefer to avoid conflict of any kind if possible," he said, "Naga knows how many people have beaten me up. Mostly women, in fact."

"Was that a joke?"

"Yeah, was it a good one?"

"You know I'm not the best judge of humor," Lucina smirked, "and it was a little dark for my tastes."

"Ah, well, I gave it a try."

There was a brief pause, before Lucina spoke up again.

"Samus mentioned a book."

"Yes, it's a book on Hylian history and culture."

"That's not all, is it?"

Robin sighed. "You're much more perceptive than your father." He muttered. Lucina frowned. "There's entire sections on the Triforce, military, and weaponry."

"That's a vast amount of knowledge for one book."

"Don't judge me too harshly for keeping that secret."

Lucina smiled, "Don't think me a fool, Robin," she said, "I think I know you well enough to understand why you intend on keeping this a secret. But don't you think you should at least ask a Hylian for help?"

"Link?"

"I was thinking Zelda. Bringing her into this investigation could convince her of your innocence, after all." Robin looked upward, thinking to himself.

"Seems duplicitous," Robin speculated, "Nothing like me at all."

Lucina rolled her eyes, reminding Robin a lot of Severa. "I'm sure you'd _never_ do anything with two goals in mind." She gave Robin a quick smile. "I have to go, I promised Severa a 'chat' in 15 minutes."

"Lovely. Send her my love, won't you? I can't properly embarrass her from so far away." Robin took note of the princess's blush before heading down another hallway, into the film room. Ganondorf was already inside, chomping away at a piece of oddly shaped fruit. Robin raised an eyebrow at the Gerudo.

"What?" He mumbled, "It's a healthy food."

Robin took a seat next to the projector. "I was more interested in what you were eating, but if you want me to nag you about eating while we study…"

"I'm perfectly happy without the nagging, thanks." Ganondorf tossed the remaining core at a bin. A loud clang and curse from the Gerudo indicated a miss. "What do you have from your brilliant mind today, Robin?"

Robin looked through some files on the nearby tablet. The duo they'd be facing was familiar in several ways. There, on the screen, were the faces of Pikachu and Rosalina. Ganondorf took a sharp breath.

" … _Really?_ " He moaned in despair. "That's our matchup?"

Robin nodded, recalling the shock he had received not twelve hours earlier; "Not ideal for us, but I propose it's entirely winnable."

"What's our chances?"

"If you follow my lead, they'll be better."

"What are our chances _if_ I follow your lead?"

Robin chuckled darkly, "Not great."

* * *

He heard snoring from the table behind him, but Robin ignored it and kept talking. It had already been two hours, and Ganondorf was finally starting to lose focus. The hum of fluorescent lighting and smell of faux-lemon created a drowsy atmosphere; which is why Robin had cranked up the air conditioning and asked Anna to get him an air horn.

Most people hated long meetings and studying, but Robin was starting to recall his love for it.

" - and that's how we exploit a Luma's range and weight." Robin finished explaining to Ganondorf. The Gerudo stirred, blinking several times.

"Wazzat?" He asked, "I missed that."

Robin grinned, "Missed what?" He asked mockingly.

Ganondorf waved with his hand, "Y'know … most of that." With a forced sigh, Robin turned around.

"I guess I can give you a shortened version." He said. Ganondorf glowered at him.

"We've been here for two hours, so it would be appreciated," He grumbled, "I would like to get some time in the gym before the matches start." The sound of the airhorn snapped him into attention. Robin was now standing, trying his best to look authoritative.

"Is studying too hard for a conqueror?" Robin had done this multiple times with Chrom, with varying levels of success. "Do you think we're ever going to be capable of what someone like Falco can do? Flips and flying and beating people with pure athleticism? Look at us! I'm the bookish, yet roguish tactician and you're the equivalent of a human trebuchet! What can separate us is preparation!"

"This much, though?" was answered by another blast of the air horn.

Robin really lived for these moments.

It was another hour before the duo was finished preparing. Ganondorf stretched as he exited, almost running into the smaller figure of Anna, who slipped into the room. Robin had sat on the table, tossing the air horn between his hands, and had a smile on his face.

"I take it you used that quite a bit." Robin looked up at Anna, and passed the horn back to her.

"Yes, I thank you," he responded, "It became hard _not_ to press it at times, but well worth it." Anna grinned, patting the tactician on the back.

"So what's up next for you, genius?" She asked as the duo left the room, "You two missed both fights."

Robin paused. "Oh?" he said, "I was not aware. Who won?"

"Guess. Zelda and Cloud faced Link and Bayonetta; Falco and Little Mac faced off with Metaknight and Bowser Jr."

"Never met Bowser Jr. and I barely know Bayonetta," Robin mused, "I suspect Falco and Little Mac won a close match." He looked at Anna expectantly.

"One for one so far, Robby." Anna smirked.

"I'm also guessing that Link and Bayonetta won-" Robin started. Anna's grin grew even wider. "Incorrect, I'm guessing?"

"Our favorite assault artist managed to pull out quite the upset." Anna replied. Robin looked at the merchant disapprovingly.

"I'm guessing you'd mind if we went and congratulated her, then?" He asked. Anna turned to face Robin.

"Is _that_ where we're going?" Her tone was accusatory, "After last night?" Robin nodded, making Anna groan in frustration. "Robin, listen," she said, "I know that she's like, central in all this crap; but seriously, she's unstable!"

"While that worries me," Robin replied, "I can at least attempt to congratulate her. Let my intentions be clear so she no longer views me as a threat. That sort of thing." Anna raised an eyebrow.

"Well that's right down your alley." She muttered sarcastically. "Making deals with the devil."

"Are you questioning my integrity?" Robin feigned insult.

"I _am_ questioning your sanity." Anna pulled out a small watch from her cloak. "We can watch some highlights, just so you can see what I'm talking about." A hologram emerged from the watch. Robin whistled.

"Neat thing, that." As he looked, he saw Zelda and Cloud enter the arena, followed by Link and Bayonetta at the opposite side. As they prepped, he saw Cloud attempting to communicate with Zelda. Whether or not she heard him was unclear, she didn't seem to respond. As the fight began, Robin saw Zelda immediately dart forward, straight into the path of Bayonetta's bullets. She was unfazed, and as she continued to attack the witch relentlessly, the camera shifted towards Link and Cloud, which had become a stalemate between two swordsmen. "They don't have much coordination," Robin commented, "and Bayonetta is a better fighter than Zelda." On the hologram, Cloud had finally broken the stalemate, but was now retreating towards the fight between Zelda and Bayonetta. In an instant, the witch had her attack blocked by Cloud, who was barking at the princess. Zelda frowned, turning her attention to Link. The fight continued, and with Cloud suddenly having a good close-range matchup, it wasn't long before he started pushing the witch back towards the edge. However, the camera was more focused on Link and Zelda. Link wasn't putting up much of a fight, which clearly frustrated the princess. Robin noticed her hand beginning to glow. Brighter and brighter. She leapt at Link and swung her leg at his chest.

The hologram shut off. Robin looked at Anna, dumbfounded. "What was that?"

"Don't know. Somehow Link only received minor injuries, but that attack was way above any tome level you can buy." Anna was somber. "It's a miracle that nobody was seriously hurt."

"So you're saying it doesn't bode well for me."

"I'm saying be careful, champ," Anna punched Robin in the shoulder, "She's small, but she's nuts and can do a number on you. You still thinking of going?"

"I am serious about where I intend to go and what I plan to do, though. You don't have to come with me."

"Trust me, I don't plan to," Anna responded, "Give me a week or so, but I'm gonna keep my distance." Robin nodded, and Anna made her way up a nearby staircase.

* * *

Zelda had cooped herself in her room immediately after the fight. They told her that Link had only suffered a bruised sternum from her lightning kick, but what bothered her wasn't the kick. There was intent behind her actions, and she felt sick to her stomach. Link was her _friend_ , and she had tried to injure, maybe even kill him! What would everyone think? What would -

A knock on the door snapped her back into reality, as she almost leapt behind her bed, cowering. There was silence, followed by another sharp knock on the door. Zelda started shaking, and was about to yell, beg, plead for solitude when she heard a quiet voice on the other side of the door.

"Zel, it's me." Samus. Probably the only person she wanted to see at this moment. Zelda collapsed in relief. There was another moment of silence. "I don't have the keys to your room, so if you could open up …"

Zelda crawled over her bed, attempting to reach the doorknob. She barely managed to unlock the door, almost falling into the bounty hunter as the door swung open.

As Zelda scrambled back onto the bed, Samus closed the door behind her and slowly made her way around to an open chair. She was in casual attire; unlike Zelda, who hadn't changed from her dress. Samus casually brushed her hair aside before looking at the princess.

"You look like hell, sister."

"I … feel terrible, if that's what you mean."

"Yeah, you sure know how to make your friends worry about you!" _Oh, I was that bad._ "The media is already going on about how you're too unhinged to give an interview!" _Really bad._

"Maybe I am, Samus." Zelda fell into her pillows limply, almost disappearing into the fluff. "I feel like I'm spiraling."

"Well, that's why I bought ice cream." Samus took out a carton of chocolate, with two spoons.

"No bowls?"

"I figured you were in a no bowl mood." Samus smiled. Zelda couldn't help but smile as well.

"Thanks, Sam," She said as she took a bite, "You know exactly how to cheer me up."

Samus turned away, much too quickly for Zelda not to be suspicious. She noticed the bounty hunter's face was flushed. "We're friends," Samus explained, "and I was just worried about you!"

"Yeah, but it still makes me happy. You're the only person that I feel comfortable with." Zelda finally admitted. Samus turned back to face the princess.

"Link? Peach?"

"Link isn't much of a talker. He's nice, but he focuses on his problems. I think he views me as above him." Zelda sighed, before continuing. "Peach is wonderful, but she's so … so overbearing at times. I feel like you're the only one who treats me like … a normal person."

Zelda felt a hand touch her shoulder. She looked at Samus. Lake Hylia seemed to be trapped in her eyes. How had she never noticed such brilliant blue eyes before...

"Zelda," Samus began, "I don't know how others view you, but you're … awesome. You do so much good in this world, and I want you to know that I'm here for you. I'll take on whatever you can't take on. I just need you to do whatever the _you_ need to do to make yourself feel bet-" She was interrupted by Zelda pulling her towards her.

It was heaven. As Zelda broke the kiss, she found herself on Samus's lap, looking down upon her. Zelda smiled nervously. "Well, I'm no doctor, but _that_ made me feel a lot better." She finally said. Samus chuckled at that.

"I haven't been kissed in years."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Zelda was blushing furiously now. "It must have been terrible. I've _never_ kissed someone before." Samus gave the princess a coy look, before grabbing the back of her head, bringing her in for round two. Samus felt the heat coming from Zelda's body, desperately clinging to the bounty hunter. It was … strange, but Samus was a little preoccupied.

"Honestly, this is a left turn from what I expected, princess." she whispered in Zelda's ear. Zelda turned bright red. "I never thought that we'd be … like this." Zelda frowned at that, which told Samus that she had screwed up.

" _Then why did you reciprocate?_ " she hissed back, almost as if she was keeping a secret from the walls. "I don't know what I'm doing!" she finally said, struggling to speak. "I mean, you're always looking out for me, and you do so much for me and you're so perfect and beautiful by the goddesses I need -" Samus brought her in again, stopping Zelda's words.

Samus smiled as they broke apart again. "Zelda, just because I didn't expect doesn't mean I didn't _want_ it," Zelda was trembling in Samus's arms. _Stop shaking you imbecile! You're a princess! Show some decorum!_ "I've had a … well, a crush on you for years. It's just hard to find the time and admit to someone. Especially if you aren't sure they'll return that feeling …"

"I-I don't know when this started, honestly," Zelda replied, "But I'd like for us to … to _try._ " Samus ran her hand through Zelda's hair. It seemed like she was soaking in the moment, as if Zelda was something fleeting that wouldn't exist in another moment. It was about this time that Zelda realized that nothing could be this perfect. That Samus had forgotten to lock the door.

That at the door, staring at the scene unfolded before him, stood Robin. Apparently he had knocked, and the door swung open. Zelda felt herself being thrown onto the bed as Samus took two strides, grabbed Robin by the coat, and flung him into the room roughly. She then closed and locked the door.

"H-h-how much did you see?" Zelda tried to yell, but it came out as a whimper. She didn't trust Robin one bit, and now he had blackmail on her. The media might have a small field day, but the Hylians might not be so forgiving.

Robin winced as he tried to get up. "I don't think I saw much, but I'm glad I didn't show up any later than I did." Samus walked over to the tactician.

"You can't tell anyone about this, okay?" She hissed at him, "Not one soul."

"And I thought we were friends." Robin huffed. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Honestly, I'm happy you two finally figured it out." Samus and Zelda looked at each other, blushing furiously. "Yes, it _is_ that obvious; and yes, all of us think it's sweet."

He got up and dusted off his jacket. "I came here to congratulate Zelda on her victory, though I can tell," He motioned to the discarded ice cream carton, which was starting to dribble onto the carpet, "That _some_ sort of celebration was clearly on it's way."

Samus was about to speak, when Zelda touched her hand. Zelda looked at Robin in the eyes. "What do you want from me?" She said, quietly. Robin looked sad for a moment.

"Zelda, I get you don't trust me. I don't _expect_ you to trust me." Robin pulled out a red leather book. It was the same one from the party. "But I would like to prove that my intentions are good. I've been reading through this, and I think it might be pertinent." Samus took the book from Robin, handing it to the princess. She eyed the cover. The Hylian wasn't quite proper, but she could make it out.

"Why help me?" She finally asked, "I tried to hurt your friend. I spied on you."

"You can apologize to Anna if you want. As for me, I'd spy on me too, so don't feel too bad." Robin lazily waved her off. "We don't have to be friends, but I'd like for us to work together. I know how it feels to feel like you have no control over yourself. If you ever want to talk, I'm here." He paused, looking at Samus sheepishly. "Though I suppose you do have a … substantial amount of support alread-"

"Alright alright alright!" Samus unlocked the door and ushered a smiling Robin out. "Out out out!" As she closed the door, Samus looked back at Zelda. "He's a good guy, he won't tell anyone," She said, attempting to reassure Zelda. The princess nodded.

"I know." She said, simply. "I didn't trust him before, but his expression … maybe I've misjudged him." Zelda looked at Samus. "More importantly, I want to know about you … about us."

"I thought I made my stance pretty clear." Samus said, grinning intensely. Zelda gave a faint smile.

"I was just thinking …" Her mind was meandering, "The Hylian courts don't look upon … this sort of thing ..." Samus touched the side of her face.

"Zel, we'll think about that when we get there," She brushed her hair out of her face, "Let's figure this whole mess out first. I'll read the first chapter out loud if you want to lie down." Zelda nodded, and stared blissfully as Samus attempted, rather poorly, to read ancient text. Maybe she wouldn't sleep well, but now the days would become something to look forward to.

* * *

 _ **The next chapter in the story is Quarterfinals Day 2! My writing is definitely rusty, given three months of almost no writing, but it's starting to come back, so any critiques, comments, and other things would be appreciated and loved! Thank you all for sticking with me! I'll respond to comments from the last couple chapters in the next one as well, so any questions are cool too!**_

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_


	21. Quarterfinals Day 2

**Quarterfinals Day 2**

* * *

Robin felt sunlight on his face, a rare sign in the mornings.

He slowly crawled up from his position on the bed, looking at the only clock on the wall. 7:30 am, so he was up later than usual, but not by much. He got up from the bed, taking a long, exuberant stretch before moving to close the curtains. He paused as he reached the window. Perhaps it was his imagination, but hadn't he closed the curtains and locked the window? He slowly reached for his Thoron tome, which he remembered leaving on the right side of his desk.

"You won't find that there anymore."

Robin slowly turned around. Standing in the back of the room, his tomes scattered at their feet, stood the intruder. They were small, yet muscular, and was wrapped from head to toe in dark blue. He opened the curtain even farther, filling the room with light. There were odd marks on their clothes, and he could see distinctly red eyes gazing at him. However, something about their stature... Robin started thinking aloud.

"Alright, you're too short to be Samus, Bayonetta, Palutena or Rosalina; I don't think Peach has defined arms like this, though I could be wrong." He looked over the intruder again. "I'm guessing you're Zelda, because Lucina wouldn't put a disguise on to visit me." The intruder was silent and still, hiding their emotions. Robin was impressed, but maintained a smug expression.

"I am merely a guard for her highness." The voice was disguised well, perhaps even magically, but there was an air about it that was unmistakably royal in nature. "What makes you think I'm a competitor?" Robin laughed, a little harder than he intended.

"Because competitors and the board are the only ones with appropriate key-cards that can allow them into the center atrium, and my window faces said atrium." The intruder paused, stammering a reply. "Look, it's all very good, and if I hadn't taken the time to think about it, you probably could've fooled me; but I've seen people disguise themselves before, so let's take out the middleman." He took a seat in his chair, wrapping his cloak around him. "What can I do for you, Princess?" Zelda pulled down the cloth from her face, freeing her hair and face. Her eyes were still red, clearly the side effect of a spell of some kind. She was pouting slightly, a vast contrast from her usual proper looks.

"I knew better than to try and fool you," she said, "I still thought I did a good job."

"Don't be too hard on yourself, I think you'd fool most people."

"Not you, though."

"Not me. What did you want to discuss?"

Zelda sat down on Robin's unmade bed, shaking her head to free up the rest of her hair. "I want to talk about the book you received from Dedede."

Robin sighed. "I figured as much," He said, "What did you want to know?"

"Why did you want that information so badly? There's a lot of very detailed information that shouldn't be in most Hylian texts."

"I figured as much," Robin responded, "It did feel too … comprehensive to be a normal text." He turned around, facing the window.

"You seem bothered."

"I am."

"Bad dreams?" This time Robin shot Zelda a quck glance before responding.

"Amongst other things." Robin opened a small notebook, and began flipping through it. "I believe you might know a bit about them."

The princess had a grim look on her face. "I've had them as well."

Robin nodded. "Several of us have."

Zelda paused, "You think there's a connection between all of us?" Another pause. "Wait. You don't think it's my fault, do you?"

Robin was silent for a minute, as the air grew heavier. "I don't discount that possibility," he admitted, "But I'm paranoid as all heck. I think investigating this would be beneficial for everyone." He turned to look outside. "More importantly, how are you feeling?" Zelda looked at Robin with surprise. Robin smirked. "Don't look too shocked. I might be duplicitous and conniving, but I do genuinely care for people. I don't think I'd have as many friends as I do if I was completely irredeemable."

"It's not that," Zelda insisted, "You've returned my harsh words and cruel deeds with nothing but kindness." She shrugged and avoided eye contact. "It seems to be quite common recently." She muttered.

"You mean Samus?" Zelda immediately sat upright, flush with embarrassment. "Forgive me," Robin laughed in response, "I didn't mean to embarrass you." He sat with one eyebrow raised, expecting an answer to his earlier question.

"Well, you're not wrong," she replied, "Last night was the first time this entire tournament where I felt at ease."

"That's good!"

"And Samus told me I should visit you in order to get answers." Robin frowned at this and crossed his arms.

"Answers to what?"

Zelda shifted in discomfort. "Robin," she finally said, "when Ganondorf chose you as his partner, you went from someone I considered a friend to somebody I couldn't ever trust." Robin remained impassive, so she continued. "That was wrong of me, and it's since become clear that you do try to do the right thing."

"I'm sensing a big 'but' coming from this."

She couldn't hold it in much longer. "Why couldn't you tell who the author of the book was?!" Zelda nearly shouted, "Didn't it seem a bit _too_ convenient that Dedede, of all people, just happened to know where a absurdly detailed book about _exactly_ what you needed? Didn't you think that maybe, just maybe, you've been used by Ganond-"

"Don't think me daft." Robin snapped back, eliciting a small squeak from Zelda. "Do you really think I didn't find it suspicious that Dedede knew what I wanted?" He stood, and began pacing the room. "Of course I knew who wrote it, although it took me longer than I'd like to admit. Let me pose a question to you; would you have taken the book if you knew that Ganondorf had wrote it?" Zelda's silence spoke for her. Robin sat back down at his desk, but moved the chair closer to Zelda, creating a conspiratorial air about him. "Before you rescued me," he whispered, "I saw several images; runes, if you will. I had a hunch, especially after seeing your reaction to them."

"You were conscious?"

"It wasn't my best moment of clarity; but I could tell, even then, that those markings meant something."

"You didn't ask me before all this? When we sparred together?"

"It came to mind, but we were focusing on other things, and I figured answers would come with time." Robin frowned. "It didn't help that I was considering the possibility that _you_ had been the kidnapper."

Zelda opened her mouth to protest, but thought better of it. Robin was finally starting to make sense. He was much more observant than she had given him credit for. "Do you trust Ganondorf?" She finally asked.

Robin laughed. "Of course I don't! I only trust the Shepherds," He began counting on his fingers, "Fox, and Bowser."

"Bowser?! And not Samus?"

"Bowser has good things to say, and he's pretty open about how he acts and feels." Zelda frowned. It sounded like Robin was scolding her like a teacher, disappointed with a midterm grade. "And I know you trust Samus, but she likes keeping stuff to herself. It's hard for someone like me to fully trust someone like that." He grinned, "I'm not Chrom, after all." After looking at Zelda's confused expression, he waved it off. "He's my boss, friend? Friend-boss. Don't worry about it."

"So why are you helping him? Why go through all this trouble to do everything behind the scenes?"

Robin stood up, exuberantly, "That's part of the _game_ , Zelda. I won't be satisfied until I know I've gotten all the answers." He began pacing again. Zelda felt slightly unnerved. "I'm helping Ganondorf because helping him gets me closer to the answers I've been seeking! Also, I do prefer winning, and a monetary prize seems to be of little harm." He turned to face the window, the sun reflected off of his cloak, shimmering and glowing. "Ganondorf has shown no signs of being the villain that you all believe he is, and I'm willing to gamble with that if it gets me closer to why I was kidnapped, who kidnapped me, and why everyone is having sympathetic dreams."

Zelda paused, before standing up from her bed. She seemed satisfied. "Robin, after your fight today, would you like to go get dinner with Samus and I?" Robin raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "I-I just think that there's a lot we could discuss. Maybe as a group?"

"Smooth."

"I'm being serious!"

"Not a bad idea, if you don't mind me inviting a small group as well." Robin replied, smiling. "Before you ask, it would be Anna, Lucina, Bowser, Fox, Marth, and Metaknight."

"That's … a lot of people." Robin nodded. Zelda kept going, "We'd have to go somewhere in the city if we wanted to avoid prying eyes."

"Ask Samus or Metaknight," Robin said, "They both would have good ideas." He grinned. " _Especially_ Samus, I bet she's already thought of a bunch of secluded areas …"

"Don't try to help too much, Robin." Zelda laughed, blushing furiously. She put her disguise back on. "I'll go notify everyone of our plans." And with a puff of smoke, she was gone. Robin looked around the room, before heading to the bathroom.

"I should learn how to do that." He remarked.

* * *

Robin sat in the entrance to the warp room, impatiently tapping his fingers. Even with his conversation with Zelda, he had still managed to get in an hour of warmup and was still earlier than both Anna and Ganondorf. Anna was the first to arrive, her hair strangly disheveled, holding several papers in her hands. She took a seat immediately next to Robin, and sighed heavily. After a minute of silence, and a look of amusement, she finally spoke up.

"Robin, you could ask a girl, 'Oh hey Anna, what's wrong?'"

"I didn't want to be rude and assume something was wrong." He replied casually.

"Well, since you were _so_ kind as to ask, you and I need to talk after this match." She straightened her papers on her leg.

"Why not now?" Robin replied, "Time is money."

"This needs to be private." Robin could now see worry in Anna's eyes.

"What happened?" His voice betraying his emotions. Anna shook her head.

"If you're worried about Cordelia or your kids, they're fine," she replied, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't make you worry." She leaned back against the wall, sighing again.

Robin squeezed her shoulder. "Anna, don't work yourself to the bone," he said, "Whatever it is, I'm sure it's fixable."

Anna smiled. "Sometimes, I forget how good you are at comforting people," Robin smiled, "You really can be a sweetheart!"

A large silhouette blocked some of the light in the small corridor. Robin looked up at his teammate. Ganondorf was wearing his standard armor, evoking the image of a proud warrior.

"You look ready." Robin remarked.

Ganondorf huffed before replying. "Ready as I can be," he said gruffly, "I hope your plan works."

"Trust me, I hoping it works too." Anna looked at the duo expectantly. "Anna, just trust me, this will work."

"I know it'll work," She replied, "I'm interested in what you have planned." Before Robin could answer her, the teleporter began glowing. Ganondorf immediately stepped in.

"You'll just have to see for yourself." Robin said in a teasing manner. Without another word, he and Anna walked through the blue light, and came out in a futuristic stadium. There was a distinct odor that permeated the area, one of metal, smoke, and fire. Several cars were moving in the streets below, and the sounds of the people were muffled by the heavy walls. "Alright, where are we now?" Robin asked, trying to take in all the lights and sounds.

Anna pulled out her tablet. "Midgard. I guess this is where Cloud lives."

"I like it," was all Ganondorf said, "How much time do we have?"

"We need to get you guys ready right now." Anna led the duo towards a tunnel, security and several wire frames bustling near it's gaping entrance. The sounds of the crowd intensified. It seemed a lot closer than the first match. "Good luck, you two," Anna winked at the team, "I'll be rooting for ya!"

* * *

Robin and Ganondorf stepped into the blinding lights of the arena, an almost sterile environment. On the other side, coming down their own ramp, was the duo of Pikachu and Rosalina. Pikachu skittered on all fours while Rosalina floated onto the arena. Ganondorf leaned over to Robin.

"So, when do we initiate the plan?" he whispered.

"I'll give you the signal," Robin replied, "You can't miss it."

A dull, digital voice echoed throughout the arena. "All contestants please enter the center ring." As Robin and Ganondorf exchanged pleasantries with their opponents, Robin noticed Rosalina staring him down, her eyes brimming with curiosity. He felt uncomfortable, to say the least.

"Prepare to Smash." The monotone buzz over the loudspeakers only excited the crowd.

"3."

"2." Robin looked across the circle. Pikachu was curled up, ready to pounce. Rosalina, however, was standing perfectly still.

"1."

A loud blaring horn echoed throughout the arena, and Robin sprinted off in Pikachu's direction. He dodged a quick bolt of electricity to his left, then felt a rush of wind behind him. Robin shot off an Elwind in a lazy arc, catching Pikachu mid-run. The Pokemon slid, avoiding the spell, but slowing him down. Robin immediately followed with an Arcfire. Again, Pikachu managed to dodge the attack. Robin rushed in. _If I'm going to counter that speed and range, I either need to stay close or remain as far away as possible. This middle ground is dangerous._ Robin ran through the scenario in his head. _Alright, let's stick to the plan._ Robin swung his sword at the Pokemon, who dodged, flinging it's tail at Robin's head. Robin blocked the tail with his sword, and heard the ring of metal on metal. Sparks flew, and Robin felt a slight tingling sensation. He grimaced. Pikachu had struck the ground near him with an electrical attack. He ran forward, flinging another Arcfire to his left.

A large figure flew by, missing Robin by a couple of feet. Robin felt his Arcfire tome slip from his fingers. "Oh come on!" He shouted out loud. Robin pulled out his Thunder tome, glaring over at his partner. Ganondorf got up slowly, bruised and generally looking worse for wear.

"Did you _really_ just drop your tome?" Ganondorf accused.

"What about you?" Robin yelled, "I thought you were going to keep Rosalina away from me!" As if on cue, Robin saw a bright light out of the corner of his eye. He managed to scramble forward, dodging a Thunder attack from Pikachu. He felt a great weight on his back, as a glowing star landed on top of him. _Luma, not exactly according to plan_. Robin felt the air come out of his lungs for a moment. He looked up. Rosalina towered over him.

"One might find that task difficult, Sir Robin." Rosalina chuckled to herself. "My Lumas tend to seek out those who are the greater threat."

Ganondorf was now attempting to fight Pikachu, with no success. The Pokemon was now on his head, delivering shock after shock. It would've been humorous, if it wasn't so embarrassing. Robin began channeling energy into his Thunder tome. Nothing was going right, but he still managed to set one thing up for himself. _The Luma is producing enough light to interfere with the light emitting from my tome,_ Robin thought, _I might be able to pull this out._

Robin had discovered something rather peculiar about tomes. It had come about as a result of his trying to fly with Elwind. After dropping his tome in an accidental collision with the roof, Robin felt the wind magic persist. Several tests later revealed that if you charged just enough magic into the tome without firing, it would stay there, dormant. It was harder with Wind and Thunder, but the results were very promising with Fire tomes. The best part? It was unstable enough that almost anything could ignite the tome, setting off an overcharged magic attack. Ganondorf was still struggling with Pikachu, but had managed to toss the Pokemon off of his back. As Pikachu charged toward Ganondorf, Robin shot off a quick Thoron blast in that direction.

The explosion was huge. Much bigger than Robin anticipated. He felt his ears ringing as the silhouette of a surprised Pikachu flew over the edge of the arena. Ganondorf had barely held on to the stage, struggling to climb back up. Robin smiled grimly. Even if he lost, at least _something_ had worked. He looked back up at Rosalina, and his blood froze.

She was smiling. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement. She looked down at Robin and a wand materialized in her hand. "As I expected." Was all she said, and with a wave, the world went dark.

* * *

Robin opened his eyes to a river of shimmering stars. He looked around; he was sitting atop a grassy hill, with a small path leading down. Around him were several floating islands with paths connecting them. Robin noticed a small table with two chairs. Rosalina was seated in one such chair, beckoning towards the tactician. He cautiously approached.

"Don't worry, Sir Robin," She said kindly, "I only wished to have a chat with you. I find this the easiest way to do so without prying eyes and ears." The princess poured Robin a cup of tea. As Robin sat down, she motioned to a small bowl with sugar cubes in them. The whole table was set immaculately. A plethora of options at Robin's disposal. He chose to pour some milk and a sugar cube, mumbling a 'thanks'. As he sipped his tea, he noticed Rosalina smiling at him. "I hope the tea is to your liking?"

"Um … yeah. It's really good," Robin remarked, "So … where are we and how did you do this?"

"This is my house, Robin." Rosalina swirled the tea in her hands. Robin noticed there wasn't a spoon in her hand. "And teleportation is a power I do enjoy having."

"I mean how did you do this with that power limiter on?" Robin motioned to his wrist, where one would be.

"Oh, you mean this?" Rosalina pointed to a small metal bracelet lying on the grass next to her chair. "It's rather easy to remove, don't you think?"

"I … don't have to wear one."

"Ah, I suppose not. I don't think they planned for your mind." She frowned for a moment, considering the thought. "I do wonder if I'll get in trouble for taking it off, though."

"B-but how did you take it off in the first-" Robin was interrupted by a sly wink from the princess, as she sipped her tea.

"Everyone has their secrets, Sir Robin," she replied, "I hope it's not too much to ask for one of my own." Robin shook his head. "I thought so."

There was silence then, and Robin took in how silent and still everything was. Even with the stars constantly in motion. In fact, the stars were moving much too quickly compared to home. And then he saw it. A large red orb came into view, like a bloodshot eyeball. He could see rampaging storms, peppering and savagely tearing apart whatever landscape lay beneath it. Flashes of light illuminated the clouds like bulbs on a camera.

"Ah yes, I suppose that I should have mentioned our orbit," Rosalina noted, "That had to have been a surprise for you, I'm terribly sorry." Robin shook himself from his trance.

"O-orbit?" Robin stammered, "I think I've heard that before, but what is orbit?"

Rosalina giggled to herself, "My oh my, I don't think I've ever had to explain orbiting before." She sipped her tea in contemplation. "We're moving around a central object, like a moon or a planet." Robin was staring at the stars now, focused intently on the motions of the stars. "Think of this as a spaceship, like Samus's."

Robin looked up to the princess. "A spaceship. T-this thing is a spaceship." Robin put his head in his hands, "Oh gods I'm in the stars."

"Drink some tea, Sir Robin," Rosalina insisted, "This is insignificant information at best." She poured him some more tea, which he immediately grabbed and nervously sipped. "I'm here to share things of interest to you."

"I think it's particularly interesting that you warped us into the void during a fight." Robin was rattled, his eyes darting to and fro. "Did we just disappear? How does _that_ work?"

"The Lumas took care of it, I wouldn't worry." She replied. The vision of what was the equivalent of several toddlers stuffed into Robin's cloak didn't make him worry less. "Robin." Rosalina's tone darkened. "The reason I brought you here wasn't for my own amusement. I've been observing many of you on my journey through the cosmos. You're very gifted. Not strong, but bright, and much crueler than I could ever hope to be."

"I don't think that's really a compliment." Robin said, frowning slightly at the insult.

"I didn't mean it to be a slight on you, Sir Robin. You always do what's necessary, even when everyone else cannot. It's admirable in a way."

"Even _you_ didn't bring me here to compliment me," Robin interrupted, "This may be a … new experience for me, but I'm not so rattled for us to avoid your point." Rosalina smirked.

"Very well." She put down her teacup, staring down the tactician. "Tell me, when you came back into being, did you find it odd that you were immediately set upon?"

"Of course, I would think that my recent actions would reflect that."

"Noted," She replied, "And yet, you're no closer to the answers you seek, are you?"

"... No."

"You may find helpful, then, that I happened to do some investigating of my own."

"Nobody else has checked out Hylian texts from the libraries."

"Sir Robin, with everything that you have seen today, do you _really_ think that I need a library to acquire the information I want?" She waited for Robin to respond, but after several moments of silence, she continued. "This place is not just my home, it is an observatory; an observatory of both the surrounding galaxy and various dimensions. In all my observations, your world is one that has caught my interest."

"You flatter me, but what does my world have that interests you?"

Rosalina paused for a moment, staring into her tea. "Do you believe in fate?" Before Robin could answer, she interrupted, "No, I can tell. You don't have much faith for things that you can't see. Well, some might call this fate, but I believe that every world has points in it's lifespan. Points were civilizations and peoples have to make a choice. This choice can influence the whole path the world takes." Robin looked at her inquisitively. "You disagree?"

"I've never believed in the world having a script we were meant to follow," Robin said dismissively, "and besides, Lucina and her other friends broke _our_ fate."

"Precisely." Rosalina said forcefully, her eyes were gleaming again. "I've seen so much. All of those dying lands with so many fallen heroes, desperately clinging to hope as it was torn away. In all of those lands, only a handful of civilizations could even survive a cataclysm like yours. But your progeny saved the world from choices that had been made for you."

"That can't be too special in such a big universe like this."

"The universe is generally neutral. And by neutral, I mean indifferent." Rosalina stood up, beckoning Robin to follow her. They began walking down the hill. "Robin, one of the responsibilities I have in this dimension is to 'reset' the timeline."

"Reset." Robin repeated. The princess nodded.

"Yes. Whenever things begin to devolve and spiral out of balance, it's my job to reset the dimension using the Luma's power."

"Well," Robin paused, mulling it over, "That's quite the responsibility. Does every dimension have someone filling that role?"

Rosalina shrugged. "I've never met another being like me, but I can never confirm or deny the unknown." The hill ended as Robin and Rosalina reached a small paved path leading to a small building in the center of the station. "But I have learned something over the countless time I've existed, observing and resetting."

"What's that?"

"Everything balances out in the end, and reaches a center." She said, "For every triumph over evil, another world falls." Rosalina turned to Robin. "Your world was unique. When I looked into your world, I saw two emergent paths. One of cruelty and death, and another with hope. Locked in an endless embrace. Your children broke that engagement, leading your people towards victory."

"So you're a fan."

"Yes!" Rosalina yelled emphatically, "I loved it! It was romantic! Twisting apart fate and cruelty through time!" She looked at Robin. She had tears in her eyes. "A child saving their parents!"

Robin was silent, following Rosalina as she entered the building in front of them. There were hundreds of thousands of stars projected into the ceiling.

"Out of all of these worlds, were we really the only ones to do so?" Robin asked.

"Well … no." Rosalina admitted. "Link and Zelda's ancestors had items to move through time, and one did do a similar thing as your children." She turned around quickly, "But to be allowed to meet and work with people like you is marvelous!"

Robin grinned. "Trust me, the feeling is mutual." He responded. "Now, what did you want to show me?"

Rosalina finally blushed, her calm demeanor finally broke. "Right! I almost forgot. Well, all of the smashers have come from worlds where they conquered evil, sometimes several times over; as if it was predestined. Like I said, you and Lucina had done something special, even when surrounded by so many heroes."

"I don't understand what this has to do with my kidnapping."

"Did you believe it to be chance? That you would come back and immediately be captured?" Rosalina seemed to grab one of the stars. Inside it was an image of a mask. "I had asked Samus to describe the image that your daughter and Zelda had found on your cell door. It turns out to be an ancient Hylian mask, but I'm sure you knew this already." She teared the star apart, and a wooden mask fell to the ground with a hollow clunk. "This is Majora's Mask, a harbinger of the end." Robin stared at the mask, which seemed to radiate malice.

"So, why is it in your room?" Robin asked, cautiously.

"I told you, I can get things I want." Rosalina stated flatly. "Twas quite difficult to obtain, but I did obtain it."

"Yeah, I caught that, but there's no way something like this can do any good, even in your hands."

"Agreed, but I thought it would do well in your hands."

Robin looked at the mask. He could hear a distinct whispering coming from the item. He shook his head. "I can't take this," Robin said, "I can tell from here that it's too much."

Rosalina shrugged, and the mask went back into it's encasing. "I thought you might said that." She took Robin's hand, and before he could react, kissed him on the cheek. It was a quick peck, but Robin felt immense warmth. "I have imbued you with some power that will resist the item's evil."

"Did it need to be from a-"

"Yes. Would you prefer one on the lips?" Rosalina asked with little to no emotion. "You're one of the few that has the magic necessary and the scientific mind to look into this mask and discover it's purpose." She looked deeply into Robin's eyes. "I'm an observer, Robin. I shan't involve myself more than I should. However, I have a feeling that what is about to occur will force my hand."

"What's about to occur?" Robin asked.

"Whoever kidnapped you; whomever worships this mask obviously wanted you out of the picture. Or they planned to take out some other Smashers while they attempted to rescue you." Rosalina stated. "It doesn't take much thought to assume this unknown party is planning something rather ambitious." Robin frowned.

"Are you trying to tell me that I shouldn't help Ganondorf?"

"Hardly, but I am asking for you to be wary," Rosalina said, "Ganondorf has shown no intent or malice that I have seen, but someone here is planning _something_." She twisted the star, flattening it into a playing card. She placed the card into Robin's pocket.

The two stood over the hill once again, the smell of grass floating through the air. Robin felt the wind through his hair, probably artificial in nature. He faced Rosalina. "I still don't understand. You said you're an observer, but this seems rather active. Why help?"

Rosalina smiled, "Well, the board saw it fit to invite me to this competition, so I'm obliged to assist those who need it." She gave Robin a pointed wink.

"Touche," He paused, "I was planning on meeting Zelda and some others after the fight. Would you join us?"

"I would be delighted." She responded. "Now, let's go back, shall we?"

The world melted away, colors melted together in a surrealist landscape. They were back in the arena, Rosalina smiling over him. There was a flash of light, and Rosalina was gone, replaced by Ganondorf's fist. There was a hiss, and a loud buzzer. Robin looked around. No time had passed, or an imperceptible amount of time. _What horrifying powers._ He thought.

The post-match hubbub was a blur for Robin, who was hurried out of the press room by Anna. Ganondorf told her he could handle it. Robin turned to face his red-headed friend. The fiery merchant held on to him protectively, moving him through halls of the mansion. "Where are we going, Anna?" he asked, once the fuzz from his dimensional travel wore off. Anna's face was grim. "I've never seen you so … upset."

Anna sighed. "Robin, the board wants to meet you."

* * *

 _ **Thanks to everyone welcoming me back! It feels great to be back. I'm currently writing the next few chapters, as we head into the Semifinals and Finals. Your support has been wonderful! It's crazy that's it's almost been a year since I started this, even though I took half of that off. (Oops.)**_

 _ **I said I'd answer any questions, but instead I'll just thank all of you who welcomed me back again! Makes it easier to write when you have a nice group like you all!**_

 ** _Next Chapter - The Final Prize_**


	22. The Grand Prize

**Hey guys, it's been a little while again, but here's the next chapter. Thanks to all of you readers for your patience and reviews. It really makes my day, and hopefully I'm improving. This one is a long one, followed by another long one on the way! Once again, questions, comments, and criticism is really appreciated.**

 **The Grand Prize**

Robin and Anna were standing in an elevator. The lighting created a harsh, sterile environment around the two, as Robin shifted uncomfortably.

"So I'm guessing this was what was bothering you earlier?" Robin said hesitantly. Anna didn't acknowledge his statement, focusing on the blank white walls of the elevator. "Or we could just stand here in awkward silence. That works."

Anna pursed her lips disapprovingly. "First of all, I'm a member of this board, so I can't fully disclose why we're meeting you." The elevator doors slid open, revealing a small hallway with flat, bright light illuminating it. Anna entered the hallway, turning left. Robin followed. "Second of all, I'm mad at you for wasting a perfectly good tome."

"Wasting the tome? It was what won us our fight!"

Anna rolled her eyes. "Robin," She said, "I have no doubt that you could've thought up several plans that didn't involve destroying a 150 gold piece book. That is, if you weren't so distracted yourself."

Robin frowned. This wasn't the Anna he had grown accustomed to. She sighed.

"I'm sorry, Robin," She said softly, "Master Hand has been insistent in seeing you, and I'm just worried."

"Don't worry about me," Robin joked, "I'm a hot commodity now. I doubt he'd do too much to me." Anna chuckled at that.

" … I'm still upset about the tome, though."

"I'll buy a new one off of you."

Anna reached a set of metal double doors. "Alright, here we are." She took a small card from a pouch around her belt. "This little number is so only us board members can get in." She explained, swiping the card through a small slot on the side of one of the doors. There was a harsh buzzing sound, and Anna opened the door, motioning for Robin to follow.

A long black table was centered in the room, with a raised table perpendicular at the other side of it. Seated at this taller table were many people that Robin was somewhat familiar with. There was the raccoon that he had met on his second day, he believed his name was Tom Nook; and there was a black haired girl that he _knew_ he had seen at some point. Perhaps in passing at Dedede's party. There were also several other figures, all of whom looked at Robin solumnly. Anna began to move towards the larger table, and Robin motioned to follow.

"If you please, the board would prefer you sit at the head of the table, yes yes!" Tom Nook grinned at Robin. Robin slowly sat down, as Anna continued. She finally sat, next to what looked like an toddler.

"Sir Robin." The black-haired girl announced. Her voice was a little _too_ enthusiastic. "Master Hand wished that you join us in this meeting."

Robin looked around. There were 7 people at the table. "The board is rather small. I would have assumed that a large group of smashers would require a large group of handlers." Robin could see Anna's lips tighten. Apologies would have to wait.

"Actually, the board was originally 4 members strong, but it has grown as we've needed it." Tom Nook expalined. "While we have met, I don't think we've been properly introduced."

"I've read personnel listings," Robin stated, "I remember you're Tom Nook, proprietor of Nook Properties and Homes."

"Yes yes, that is who I am." Nook already seemed bored with what was occurring. Robin sneaked a look at the clock on the wall. He had around 15 minutes before Lucina would face Samus.

"If it's no trouble, I'd like to get to the purpose of this meeting." The board all looked amongst each other, as if waiting for approval from an unseen source. "Well? I'd like to go watch the next match, if it's no trouble."

"I'll be honest, Robin," the black-haired girl answered, "This meeting was called this morning. Frankly, we don't know why."

Robin frowned. "So nobody here knows _why_ I've been summoned? At all?"

"I asked the board to get together and I asked Anna to bring you," a disembodied voice sliced through the silence, "I have no obligations to explain anything." The tactician turned around. The floating glove had made it's way around the table, approaching the board members. Robin sneered at Master Hand.

"I hope you have a good reason for keeping everyone in the dark," He said, "Or do you just enjoy leading people on?"

"My reasons are my reasons," the Hand replied, "You don't need to know anything else."

"Uh-huh." Robin muttered to himself.

"Despite your callous behavior, you do deserve praise," he continued, "It takes a good mind to drag Ganondorf through several battles, but it takes a brilliant mind to convince a man like him to listen and follow."

"You flatter me," Robin replied, taken slightly aback, "but I'm afraid that doesn't explain why I'm -" Master Hand moved his whole being in a waving motion. The air pushed through Robin's messy hair, catching the hood of his cloak. He grabbed the table, preventing himself from spilling onto the floor.

"I'm getting there." Master Hand replied brusquely, "Don't push me." The board members looked at each other again, nervously. "As you know, there are monetary rewards for where you finish, and you're now one of the final eight smashers remaining, I thought it appropriate to show you the other prize."

"Other prize?" Robin asked, his voice betraying his nervousness.

"Yes," the hand snapped his fingers, revealing a hologram. This … thing was red and white, and seemed to be both organic and inorganic somehow. "Kirby was so generous as to offer this as a grand prize. It's called the Dragoon, and is capable of extremely fast flight and travel."

Robin looked over the strange creature. "It's certainly interesting," he remarked, "though it's purpose is lost to me."

"The Dragoon can move at such speeds that it is invulnerable." Robin looked up. A young blonde boy had spoken, adjusting his glasses. "The more interesting thing is that, with the appropriate power supply attached to it, it would be able to briefly peek into other worlds."

"That doesn't seem much different from what you have here at the mansion." Robin remarked.

"Exactly," the boy admitted, "But for a creature to be capable of this is astounding. Unprecedented and-" Master Hand waved again, and the boy barely caught hold of his glasses.

"Thank you Jeffrey, that's enough." The hand moved towards Robin, looming over the tactician. "It takes a lot of power to allow the Dragoon to look through the dimensional walls, but several here have that power."

"Ganondorf." Robin answered, not looking for confirmation. "Still treating him like a criminal, I see."

"After you two beat both Palutena and Rosalina, he was the only being left with that magnitude of ability residing inside him," Master Hand explained, "This isn't a matter of him doing something wrong, this is a matter of insurance."

Robin could feel himself bubbling over in frustration. "And what, pray tell," he hissed, "do you expect me to do about that?"

Master Hand sighed, his hand heaving in grotesque imitation. "Robin, I know that you trust your teammate, but you really have no idea of what someone like him could do. It doesn't take much for a man like him to revert back to his old ways."

"Then why invite him into your games?"

"Everyone likes have a villain to hate." was Master Hand's simple response. A small device appeared on the table. "A villain this close to the final might be entertaining, but I'm not taking chances." Robin picked up the device. It was elegant and simple in design, with only one button.

"What am I meant to do with this?"

"Hopefully nothing," Master Hand answered, "but, if things take a turn for the worst, that'll make Ganondorf's triforce unstable." Robin turned, staring at the board. "That should make him weak enough for us to seal him." Robin let those words sink in.

"Wait, you've been building this underneath our noses?" Robin asked, furious.

"Yes, haven't you seen what some of these smashers are capable of?" Master Hand said emotionlessly.

"Then _why_ did you invite them?!" Robin roared. "Why make a prize something as powerful as _that-_ " he motioned through the hologram, "if you thought someone could abuse it's power? Didn't any of you think about that?!" Robin started walking towards the door. "You do understand that you _people_ have probably been the ones driving Zelda crazy, right?" He asked, facing away from the board. "I applaud your ability to ignore safety for a quick piece of gold." Robin finally exited the room. The silence inside the room was physically oppressing.

"I think he took that rather well." Master Hand finally said, pleased with himself. "Meeting's adjourned." There was a flash of red hair that exited the room a little faster than the rest.

Robin stood in the elevator as it made a slow journey back up to the mansion. He felt the left side of his cloak, where he had placed it. The fact that this Master Hand had been plotting behind his back made him feel apprehensive. _You hypocrite_ , he chided himself, _if he hadn't been right, you wouldn't have grabbed that device._ As the elevator opened, Robin checked one of the clocks on the wall. The fight had technically already started, but just barely. Maybe he could sneak into the arena and not cause too much of a fuss. It took him only a few moments to reach the teleporters, and he was off.

There was a familiar scent of wood, oil, and steel that reached Robin's nose. He took a deep breath, relaxing himself. It was definitely unfair that Lucina had gotten two matches at home, but Robin supposed it couldn't be helped. As he walked into the stadium, the roar of the crowd once again filled his ears. _There's a lot of people here, I guess I should try to find a seat._ Robin looked around the crowd until something caught his eye. White hair, set in pigtails, with a familiar frown on her face. He looked over towards the match occurring below them. He couldn't see Marth or Samus, but Lucina was locked in a fierce battle with a rather sizable dragon. Robin raised an eyebrow. Corrin hadn't revealed _that_ little secret yet.

"Come on, Lucy, your technique is miserable!" Robin turned to face Severa, who had stood up and was now shouting. The crowd continued chanting Lucina's name over and over, but several fans around Robin's daughter shifted away. He got closer to Severa, who was now grumbling to herself. There was a bell, before both fighters were moved away from each other. There was a robotic voice that Robin recognized.

"As per regulations, 10 minutes have passed, and fighting will be paused before a round 2 commences." Robin raised an eyebrow. _I guess our fights never made it that long._ He thought to himself. He once again heard Severa yelling encouragement towards Lucina. Robin decided to approach her.

"I doubt Lucina can hear you, sweetie." Robin said, amusedly. Severa whipped around, her eyes gleaming. Robin felt arms wrap around him, almost forcing him to the ground.

"Daddy!" Severa squealed in delight. She paused after a few seconds, before pushing Robin away and sitting back down. "Um, why are _you_ here?" She asked, hiding her embarrassment. Robin took a seat next to her.

"Well, I did come to spend time with my precious daughter, but I could just go to the royal box and watch with Chrom." Severa scrunched her face is faux-disgust.

"Don't lie to me, dad," She accused, still blushing, "You were hoping to spend time with mom and Morgan, not the grumpy one."

Robin gave Severa a small hug. "Mom and Morgan are important to me, too. However, I don't see them around, so _you_ get to be the sole focus of my attention and care." He ruffled Severa's hair, which solicited a growl of protest and small grin. Robin then looked around. "Where … are they anyways?" He asked, causing Severa to scowl. She turned to her father, purposely flipping her hair like a whip.

"Mom wanted to take care of little Lucy and I while the royal family went to see the fight," she explained, "and Morgan wanted to spend some time with mother."

Robin nodded. Morgan had spent most of the time with the Shepherds in his shadow, learning and bonding with the only person she was really familiar with. Robin knew that it weighed heavily on Cordelia's mind. For weeks, she was convinced that her poor parenting was the reason that Morgan had forgotten her. Robin looked at Severa. Truth be told, their relationship was … inconsistent at best. He knew that Severa cared about both of her parents a lot, but he didn't really get to spend as much time with her in particular before the fight with Grima.

"Well, maybe that's for the best," He said nonchalantly, earning a look of confusion, "I mean, we didn't spend a lot of time together, just father and daughter. So would you be okay with some daddy-daughter time?"

Severa huffed, but turned a little red. "Yeah, I think that _might_ be okay." She said begrudgingly. She paused for a moment, before speaking again. "Wait, that might be a little hard right now." Robin looked at Severa, intrigued.

"Oh? Why would that be, may I ask?" He asked, "Didn't you come with Chrom and Sumia?"

"Well, they weren't the only ones," she admitted, "I didn't know you'd be by, so …" Robin smiled.

"I understand. It doesn't mean we can't spend some time together, though." He said. Severa smiled again, clearly pleased with the attention. "Who did you go wi-"

"Um … I think that's me." came the reply from behind the tactician. Robin and Severa turned around. An emerald-clad girl was standing next to them, carrying some snacks. She was tall, pale, and thin, but somehow made herself look pretty small. She gave Severa an unsure look. "H-hi, Mr. Robin." Severa frowned.

"Gawds, Noire, it's just my _dad,_ " she said, "It's not like he doesn't know you."

Noire grinned weakly, but moved to sit next to her friend. She looked at Robin. The tactician smiled back.

"How are you, Noire?" He asked kindly. Noire smiled again. Truth be told, Robin found Noire's friendship with Severa to be strange. Noire always seemed so meek, and Severa was a strong personality, to say the least. However, the two always had each others' backs, despite Severa's roughness around her. Noire handed Severa a small basket of fresh pastries, to which Severa gave a wordless thanks.

"I'm d-doing well, sir!" She exclaimed, pausing to eat one of the pastries she had gotten. "I'm just getting used to living with mom and dad now, which is … nice." She looked content.

"How … are your father and mother?" Robin asked.

"I think we're doing fine." An almost seductive voice whispered from behind him. Robin stiffened up, as he felt a dark aura gather around him. Severa turned to face the origin of the voice, while Noire dug herself deeper into her food.

"H-hello Tharja." Robin said meekly. Truth be told, even though Tharja was a good friend, Robin still had moments of uneasiness around her. It wasn't a secret that she had harbored feelings for the tactician, and only gave up after challenging Cordelia to something that others infamously called 'The Gauntlet of Love'. Robin shuddered at the thought. Cordelia hadn't spoken to the sorceress since. Even years later, it took a lot of convincing from Severa herself to let Tharja be the newborn's godmother. And that was only after Sumia had decided to be Morgan's godmother and Cherche had politely declined. And even though Lon'qu and Tharja had a strong relationship, Robin was still nervous around her. "How have things been?"

"Oh," she replied, "just watching over my precious daughter and my favorite goddaughter." She smiled at the two girls, which prompted a smile from Severa and Noire, the latter hiding behind her friend. "If I had known _you'd_ be here, I could've prepared a more … appropriate greeting." She gave Robin a hug, which was met with a groan from Noire and a raised eyebrow from Severa.

Robin laughed nervously, "Ah, well," he said, "I didn't expect to be here, myself."

"Yet, here you are." Tharja replied, giggling to herself. She stood up. "I must get back to the royal seats. I imagine that those two Khans might be getting a little too comfortable without my presence." She ruffled Severa's hair and gave Noire a small kiss on the cheek. Noire blushed furiously.

"Mother ..." She whined half-heartedly. Tharja just smiled and moved back into the crowd. A few silence filled seconds passed, allowing Robin to regain his composure. As people began filling the seats again, Lucina and Corrin came back into view. Both of them looked healed up and ready for more. However, Robin noticed something subtle about Lucina's movements.

She kept looking back, towards where he was sitting. Robin turned to face his daughter and her friend.

"Noire, Severa," he began, "Has Lucina been looking at you two the whole match?" He caught Severa stiffening up before Noire answered.

"I suppose so, but the royal box is just above us, so maybe …"

Robin grinned. It might not be daddy-daughter time, like Severa wanted; but teasing was acceptable in small doses around Severa. "No, I think she's focused over here." Severa was blushing furiously now. "Maybe Lucina is hoping she can put on a good show for her best friends, don't you think?"

"Dad …" Severa muttered, "Gawds, you're embarrassing me!" Robin smiled.

"Just giving my daughter some long-awaited teasing!" He said jovially. He saw Noire smile awkwardly as well while Severa tried to stifle a grin. "Now, I'd like you two to tell me what you see as she fights." Severa pushed him while hiding her face.

"Daddy! You're just trying to use us so you can beat her later!" She said in a huff.

"Not completely true!" Robin said, "Though the thought crossed my mind. I just think it could be a fun game!"

As the three began to talk amongst each other again, the robotic voice began counting back down to the start of the next round.

It had only been one round, but Lucina was already feeling worn down. Watching Samus and Marth literally take each other over the edge of the arena was shocking enough, but facing down Corrin, who was turning into a dragon constantly, was unnerving as well.

Also, the fact that everytime she faced the royal box, she caught a glimpse of snow-white hair, which could only belong to four people. She had just taken a good look, and the number of people with that hair had doubled. She could also see Robin's face, which left no doubt as to who else was watching her.

 _Why is this bugging you now?_ She asked herself, as she heard the countdown. _It's not like she's never seen you fight before._

 _But now it's not life and death._ She heard a voice in her head reply, _And if you don't win, won't Severa think you soft and weak?_

Lucina shook herself out of it, just in time to see Corrin come over a small wooden fence, in a full sprint. Lucina swung her sword in a low arc, forcing Corrin to jump over her. She felt the air from a missed attack hiss across her back. Lucina was flung across the stage, as she felt a jet of water burst from behind her. _Urng, forgot about that._ She thought as she landed. Hard. She felt the grittiness of the dirt on her face as she struggled to get up. Corrin was about 10 meters from her, and was transforming again. Lucina groaned in frustration. Now was not a great time to get distracted. She deflected another jet of water away from her. Corrin had sliced the gap between them in half, and was transforming back into a human. Lucina blocked her sword, feeling the heat coming from it, and let loose several quick slashes and thrusts, hoping to at least get Corrin on the defensive.

"Lucy! What are you thinking?!" Severa shouted out. Noire flinched, while Robin grimaced internally. Severa was … _passionate,_ to say the least.

"She's definitely off," Noire remarked, "I wonder if we really _are_ distracting her."

"Gawds, Noire," she responded, "Even _if_ that's the case, it doesn't excuse her poor planning."

Robin grinned a little bit. "Why is that, sweetie?" He asked, trying to hide his excitement.

Severa rolled her eyes. "Every time her opponent comes in close, she reverts back into a human. Everyone knows that a dragon can beat anybody in a fair fight."

Noire looked over at her friend. "B-but Falchion can really hurt dragons!" she said, "Maybe that's why she keeps transforming?"

Severa shook her head, "Maybe, but Lucy hasn't even tried to take advantage of that. She hasn't even tried to use some of the structures to gain a height advantage and force vertical fighting!" Severa's words were starting to blur together. She suddenly stopped, turning quickly to Robin. She blushed when she saw her father, almost in tears.

"What?" She asked. "Why are you looking at me like that, dad?"

"Oh, nothing," Robin responded, wiping his eyes, "I'm just … _so proud_."

Severa frowned a little, trying to hide her face. "Gawds, daddy. You don't have to cry about it." Robin noticed that his daughter seemed to be a little less frustrated, and more intent on looking at the battle.

 _Focus, Lucina._ Internal criticism was important for growth, but right now wasn't the time for it. She felt Corrin's sword once again nick her, leaving a burning sensation in her midsection. Biting back a yelp of pain, Lucina swung again. Corrin's shout of surprise gave her satisfaction. Finally, a good swing. The sensation of water smashing into her side quickly took that away though.

Lucina felt something crack as she landed on a wooden platform. _That was a rib_. She confirmed to herself, slowly getting up. Searing pain was her only answer. Once again, Lucina saw that immense white dragon. There was a flash in her head, maybe something in the lighting; but Lucina swore she saw familiar red eyes. Her heart leapt into her throat, just as another jet of water missed her head. _Just a vision_ , she kept repeating to herself, _Get it together._

Corrin was now running up the platform, changing back into her human form. Lucina found that strange. Corrin was spending too much time as a human, considering how much damage her dragon form could cause. She rushed to parry another attack from the shapeshifter, the blow lacking the strength of previous attacks. Lucina groaned under the strain, but felt herself swinging again. Getting on the offensive was not just easier, but it could very well be the key to victory.

"Hmmm..." Robin was having a hard time focusing on the battle. Lucina looked like she finally had understood Corrin's habits, and was finally attacking. However, as interesting as the battle was, he kept looking at his daughter.

Severa was fiercely cheering on the princess, so was Noire. However, Robin had caught a look in her eyes. It was all too familiar.

After all, he was certain he had that look when he first met Cordelia.

Robin looked back, from Severa to the battle on hand. Inwardly, he cursed himself. Severa hadn't been just messing with him when she said she liked Lucina.

Okay, so Lucina wasn't the worst person in the world to fall in love with, sure. _But,_ he thought, looking at Severa, _I haven't spent enough time with her to give her up._ Also, there were issues with the line of ascension that Robin didn't even want to entertain at the moment. Severa noticed the almost pained expression on her father's face.

"Dad, what is it?" she asked, "Lucy's gonna win!" Robin shook himself from his own thoughts.

"It … it's nothing." He smiled, despite his conflicting emotions. "Maybe we can talk about it later. During daddy-daughter time?" Severa nodded in approval, before looking down on the stadium.

Lucina's strokes had become less and less precise with each swing. The only thing going for her was that Corrin was tiring as well. It was clear that neither of them could make it much longer. Another strike, metal on metal echoing through a booming arena. Lucina's arm felt like lead, and Corrin had a look in her eyes.

Lucina had seen that look in her younger sister's eyes. In her friends. In Severa.

Desperation.

Corrin's crimson eyes also reflected something else, though Lucina desperately tried to shake it away again. The dragon princess was starting to transform again, and shot off another jet of water. Except to Lucina, it wasn't water. It was black fire. It was like before. With a cry of anguish, she sliced at the flames. She was blown back from the impact, but there was a cry of pain, followed by the sound of steam. As Lucina lay there, stifling sobs, she heard the crowd cheering even harder. As she started to glow, and she felt the teleporter activate, she couldn't help but feel defeat.

Robin looked around at the crowd, joining them in cheering for their champion. He turned to Severa, only to pause. She wasn't cheering. In fact, her face was twisted in concern. Robin looked back down at the arena floor. Lucina hadn't moved, even when the teleporter took her away. Now there was only the wreckage of several wooden platforms and bare dirt. Lucina's final attack had deflected Corrin's attack right back at her, causing her to be flung into the abyss below.

"Just like her dad," Robin commented, "They could both use a lesson in holding back." Severa was still quiet, as was Noire beside her. "Something wrong? It's normal to be completely out of energy after one of these matches."

"I don't know," Noire admitted, "Something about Lucina seemed wrong; like me, but not from a curse."

"Calling Lucy cursed," Severa said quietly, "Good one, Noire." Robin shot his daughter a quizzical look, to which she purposely avoided eye contact.

Robin shrugged. "Everyone has moments of weakness, even someone as strong as Lucina," he bluntly stated, "That's why having the support of people like you two is important." Noire gave Robin a confused look. "Look," he said, crossing his arms, "Just be strong for her in times like this. Believe me, that's all she will need." With that, Robin rose from his seat, stretching his limbs. "Let's head for the exit." Robin started moving up the stairs, only pausing for a moment to confirm that Severa and Noire were following him. He could still see worry in their eyes, but they no longer had those grim expressions.

"Remember, dad," Severa warned, "You promised that we'd spend some time together after the match."

"Sweetie, do you really think that _I_ of all people would forget spending time with my precious daughter?" Robin said, raising his voice in an dramatic tone. Severa rolled her eyes.

Noire excused herself from the duo, heading back upstairs to meet with her parents. Robin looked at his daughter. She looked nearly the same as she did when he had first met her, in those ruins in the south of Valm. However, she was wearing a nice red sundress that looked slightly familiar, and her aura seemed to have a more positive vibe to it.

"I didn't notice earlier, but that dress suits you." Robin remarked. Severa shot her father a look of amusement.

"I thought you might," she responded, "Mother lent it to me." Robin looked at Severa, eyebrows raised. "I might have borrowed it." she admitted.

"Now, why would you borrow something your mother wears?" He asked, grinning at his daughter. "Trying to impress someone?"

"Dad …"

"It wouldn't be Inigo, right?"

"Eww, dad!"

Robin laughed, "Just teasing, sweetie!" He said re-assuredly. They walked in silence for a minute, the din of the thinning crowd echoed throughout the arena. Robin spoke up again. "Severa, I don't want to pry..."

"Lying to your own daughter?"

"... I don't want to pry much," He admitted, "But I would like to know why you keep looking at Lucina like you're equitably starstruck and annoyed." Severa's face and dress started to blend together as she purposely avoided her father's gaze. Robin furrowed his brow. Really? _Like mother, like daughter, I guess. "_ Ah, well, I didn't mean to embarrass you, or anything..."

Severa shook her head. "It's fine, daddy. Really." They had made an entire round through the stadium, Robin noticed. "I'd rather not talk about it, if it's all the same."

"You could always talk to mom, you know." He remarked. Severa shook her head again, with more ferocity.

"You and I both know that talking to mom about these things is just asking for trouble." Robin noted Severa's slip, saying mom instead of mother, but he let it slide. "I've heard stories about how awkward you two were from Auntie Sumia."

"Ah," Robin responded, glumly, "I might need to have a chat with the queen sooner than later, then." They passed a bench, which was previously hidden by several crowds of people. "Let's sit and chat, I'm still sore from my fight." Severa nodded, as the two watched the sun peek around several pillars that supported the top of the arena. "I promise I won't tell a soul, if that's what you'd prefer." Robin finally said. Severa didn't speak, shrinking a little next to her father, who looked upon her with a little bit of pity. He also felt relief, though; for as fiercely independent as Severa was, it was nice to be there for her as a father.

"Daddy, nobody _can_ know. No matter what." Severa finally said, meekly. Robin's lips tightened a little. "I'm not meant to be with someone like her, and it's … not right. Especially not with a member of royalty." She faced her toes towards each other and twiddled her thumbs, like Morgan would do when she would try to trick Robin with a pit trap. Robin stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"I admit, even after living with people like Maribelle and Virion, some aspects of society are still lost to me," He admitted, "I suppose I've always tried to lead a life that made me happy without hurting others." Severa was close to tears. "How many people would you hurt if you tried to make yourself happy, sweetheart?"

"Lucina is the future Exalt, and she needs a _husband_ , dad," Severa snapped, "A _husband_ for an _heir,_ dad! Does the whole nation of Ylisse count as _people?_ "

"There are plenty of others capable of raising an heir for the throne, Severa." Robin said coolly, "Maybe I'm being selfish, but my daughters deserve happy endings as well." He felt his daughter wrap her arms around him. But he also felt a rhythmic breeze come from his right side.

"Robin." A deep voice said. Metaknight had landed close to the tactician, retracting his wings. His glowing eyes stood out under the setting sun.

"I didn't expect to see anyone else here." Robin commented.

"I enjoy attending matches from time to time," Metaknight replied, "Keeps me disciplined, lets me study in a natural state."

"Quite the student you are, Metaknight," Robin drawled out, "By the way, have you met my daughter Severa?" He motioned to his daughter, who was trying to hide her embarrassment at being interrupted.

"I believe we have met once before, thank you." Metaknight said shortly, before changing the subject. "I was wondering if you were still planning that get together tonight. You did say you had information of interest to report."

Robin rubbed his chin. "Yes, but I would like to spend a little more time with Severa first. Could we all meet a little later tonight? Say, in another two hours?"

Metaknight nodded, "I will notify the others." Robin nodded, and Metaknight begin to disappear.

"Be discreet, please!" Robin shouted at the moving shadow. He sighed to himself, before turning to his daughter.

"Well, we still have some time to kill." Robin said. "Anything you want to do?" Severa smiled a little bit.

"Well, I suppose we could always go shopping …" She said, standing up and walking towards the exit of the arena. Robin could already feel his wallet getting lighter. He paused. His robes did feel lighter. He felt around the inside. The small ball that housed the Mask that Rosalina gave him was gone. Instead there was a small note. The handwriting was unmistakably Tharja's.

 _I knew I felt some dark magic coming from your person, Robin._

 _I know I promised Cordelia never to touch you, but keeping dangerous things on your person is like saving you_

 _so maybe she'll thank me later._

 _Don't worry, I'll let Henry and Miriel look into this as well._

 _You're welcome_

 _~Tharja~_

Robin was brought out of his reading by Severa's calling out to him. He sighed again. This was becoming a mess very quickly.

 **Once again, thank you all for reading! I hope you all enjoy it!**


	23. Disconnect

Lucina hated silence.

Sound meant the presence of life. From a horse whinnying to a small laugh in conversation. Even the shifting of someone during an awkward moment was something to cherish. But there she was, sitting on this blasted hover-rail with 10 others who were somehow magically quiet. It reminded her of the past. Of death and fear. She felt a gloved hand on her shoulder. Metaknight's glowing eyes staring her down.

"You're tense, child," Metaknight stated bluntly, "You may speak your mind to me, if you wish."

Lucina smiled, but shook her head. "You're very kind," she stated, "But I shall be fine." A small sniffle from down the cart caught her attention. Sat next to Marth, face red and wet with tears, sat his teammate, Corrin. Zelda and Samus sat next to her as well, giving out whispers of solace in the vast silence. Fox and Bowser were sat across from Lucina, as well as Peach, who demanded to be invited. Her parasol perched firmly inbetween herself and the Koopa King. "I suppose I was too rough." Lucina whispered.

"Hardly," Metaknight scoffed, "Everyone has a different reaction to defeat, it has nothing to do with you." Lucina looked at her feet, shifting uncomfortably. Metaknight sighed. "If you feel guilt over your victory, then state as much." Lucina opened her mouth as Metaknight pointed to Corrin. "To her, I mean."

Lucina frowned. "I suppose you're right. I've never been good at consulation."

"Funny. Neither have I."

Silence once again.

* * *

There they were, back on the same street, going towards the same restaurant they had visited on their first day at the mansion. The bustle of the town had increased to a fever pitch, much to Lucina's odd satisfaction. It felt … comfy. Peach moved the group across groups of fans who were slowly starting to catch on to the group's identity. Lucina was impressed by her quick movements in such a restrictive dress. She and Metaknight were the only ones who hadn't changed out of their iconic clothes, but it didn't seem to matter. _Bowser tends to be rather conspicuous._ She thought. As they entered the restaurant, the same purple clad man was waiting for them. Peach whispered into his ear, and he nodded, albeit with a look of confusion. He led the small group to a room in the back, with a large table set in the middle. As he left, Peach called out to him.

"Waluigi, we should have one or two more guests coming our way." She said in a sing-song tone, "Robin should be bringing a friend or two of his. You remember Robin?"

"A … a-white hair, likes purple a lot?"

"That's the one, knew you of all people would recognize him."

He nodded, smiling politely as he closed the door. There was a loud clicking sound, followed by an intense silence, only balanced by the white noise of the busy restaurant. The group slowly took their seats, Lucina choosing the seat between Samus and a now quiet Corrin. She looked at the white-haired girl, who gave her an small smile in response.

"So, we waited two hours to head into town, and Robin's still not here?" Peach asked, flipping through a stray menu.

"He had some business to attend to." Metaknight replied simply. "Family business."

Lucina groaned. _Business indeed, if Severa's involved._ She thought.

"Well," Peach said, pouting as she flipped another page aggressively, "If we're all going to be waiting, we might as well order food." There were some murmurs of agreement, and the room was filled with a hodge-podge of incidental conversation.

Lucina felt a nudge to her left side. Samus handed Lucina her communicator.

 _You alright?_

It took Lucina more than a few seconds to type out her reply. _I am fine. I was worried about Corrin, she seems like she is having a hard time._

 _Future reference, contractions won't kill you. Corrin's got a lot going on, you should talk to her about it._

 _I'm not great at talking._

 _You're pretty good at talking to other people._

 _Not about personal issues. I am rather awkward with that._

She could hear Samus audibly sigh. _Just talk to her, make some excuse and I'll send her to you._

Lucina frowned, looking at her teammate. Samus raised an eyebrow and nudged her again. The princess closed her eyes, steeling herself for what she had to do. She stood up quickly, and the white noise in the room immediately halted. She looked at everyone around her, and blurted out the first thing in her mind. "I … uh … feel ill!" As she bolted out of the room, she could hear Samus in the background.

"Corrin, why don't you go check on -"

She closed the door behind her and walked stiffly through the restaurant. It wasn't until she exited the building and sat at an outside table that she breathed out in relief. "How embarrassing." She murmured. Lucina put her head in her hands, the chill of manufactured autumn causing her to shiver. She heard a soft pitter-patter of bare feet, the sound of metal on concrete, and then more silence. Lucina looked up into Corrin's face, her red orbs gazing into her. "I guess Samus was right." Lucina remarked.

"Samus and Zelda shouldn't have brought you into this." Corrin said flatly.

"Does this not concern me?" Lucina stated, surprised by the strength in her words. "Aren't you upset over our battle?"

It was Corrin's turn to look at the floor. "You fought well. Why would I be upset over a fair fight?"

Lucina smiled a little. She understood what Samus meant now. "My father," She began, "is one of the strongest men I know. When I was four, I challenged him in sparring. While my mother and Robin insisted I was too young, my father entertained my childish dreams." There was a short pause, as Lucina collected her thoughts. "I was beaten badly. He didn't hit me, but I couldn't hit him once. I challenged him week after week for a year, desperate to be strong for him. Father left for war after that year, and … he didn't come back."

Lucina felt wetness on her face. She also felt a hand grasp her hand in comfort.

"I'm so sorry," Corrin said, "I never knew."

Lucina shook her head. "You couldn't have known. I don't even know why I told you that story, you're the one who's hurting."

"Nonsense, you shouldn't hold that in for anyone's sake."

"I guess I just wanted you to know that I understand. And that there is no shame in defeat."

Corrin smiled grimly. "I had no problem with losing. Losing just happened to bring everything back into my mind." Lucina looked at her, confusion etched on her face. "I didn't read about your history, so I won't judge you." Corrin smiled before explaining.

"I was adopted into a very large family. I would do anything for my brothers and sisters, and I feel like they would do the same for me." Another pause. "Recently, I learned that my family might … not be that. I found another family, one that knew me from birth. One that believed that I had been stolen from them." Corrin blinked, keeping her eyes closed longer than usual. "Both families rule nations, of course they do. And it isn't surprising that these two nations hate each other." Her breath rattled. "And because I'm so powerless, I can't do anything to stop them from consuming each other in a giant war. Because I'm too weak, I can't keep my families from killing each other." Lucina squeezed Corrin's hand reassuredly. "Because I hesitated on that gods-damned bridge, I …" Lucina felt tears on her hand as Corrin began crying. She heard a pair of footsteps behind her, and slowly turned to see a purple robe with gold embroidery.

"Everything alright, Lucina?" Robin asked. "There's been so much crying, I feel like I'm in one of your mother's favorite books."

"Daddy!" _Oh gods, not now._ Lucina thought, peering at the hand still grasping her own. "If Lucy's crying, she has a perfectly … good … reason." Lucina could hear Severa's words trail off, and as she turned to face her friend, she could see indignant mahogany eyes framed by snow-white hair. "Dad, you can go inside, I'll stay with Lucy and her friend." Severa said with clenched teeth. Robin raised an eyebrow, whispering something into Severa's ear, and walked into the restaurant. Severa sat down silently, staring into Lucina's eyes. "So, are you going to introduce me to your new friend?" She said with a sickly-sweet tone.

"Ah- Yes," Lucina stammered, "This is Corrin. Corrin, this is my best friend, Severa." Corrin looked up glumly, before her eyes brightened up.

"Selena?" She asked meekly. Severa looked at Corrin as she grabbed her hands now. "Is that really you?"

" _Severa_ is my name, and I would appreciate if you could tell me why you were getting all touchy with my best friend!"

"You look just like Selena!" Corrin insisted. "It's just so … oh … forget it." Corrin said, deflated. Severa turned red from embarrassment.

"Wait! I didn't mean to make you upset!" Severa shouted rapidly. "W-w-why don't you tell me what you told Lucy, three heads are better than one!" Lucina smiled wryly as Corrin sniffed audibly.

"Thank you, Selena." Corrin said. "You're very kind."

"Yeah, yeah." Severa muttered. "And it's Severa."

* * *

" … I see you guys got food without me."

Robin was standing at the end of the table, now covered in a plethora of different foods.

"You can only blame yourself, Robin," Fox replied, "You snooze you lose."

Bowser chimed in, "Down low too slow!"

Fox high-fived the Koopa. "Nice."

"That one doesn't even make sense." Robin insisted. Fox shrugged, earning a giggle from Zelda. The tactician rolled his eyes. "Well, it doesn't matter. You're all here." He looked at three empty chairs. "Well, _mostly_ here." Robin pulled out a small scroll. "I guess it's time to tell you all why I brought you all here." As he unfurled the scroll, there was a snicker from Fox.

"Robin, what is that supposed to be?"

The tactician looked at the scroll. On it was a rough sketch that Robin made of the Dragoon. "It's a … thing. That I'm going to explain now! … I thought it looked pretty good."

"You do know that you can take pictures with your phone, right?" Samus asked. Robin squinted at her in confusion. "Never mind. What did you want to talk about?"

Robin nodded. On to business. "Alright, this thing is called the Dragoon. It's one reward for winning the tournament. Apparently it can move at incredible speeds, and can potentially open up gates to other worlds."

"Just like the ones in the Smash Mansion." Bowser commented.

"So what? If the Smash Mansion has it, then why would it be a big deal?" Fox remarked.

"Because it's controlled here." Robin explained. "And in my world, it takes having the right key for the right world, which makes things difficult. With this and the right amount of power, you can bypass any and all measures to control that." Robin grabbed a piece of Calamari and scarfed it up. "Having the ability to go anywhere you want, whenever you want … seems like a pretty great prize."

" … You said potentially. What do you mean by that?" Samus pointed out.

Robin smiled slightly. "Yes, I mentioned that. The Dragoon requires a lot of power to reach it's full potential. Most of us couldn't power it."

"My Halberd couldn't power the Dragoon to such a limit." Metaknight remarked, causing most of the room to jump. "Believe me, I tried."

"So powering it would take an immense amount of power or resources." Fox stated. "And you're worried about, what? Somebody abusing this?" Robin looked uncomfortable, shifting from foot to foot.

"You're talking about Ganondorf, aren't you, Robin?" Zelda asked. The room grew quiet.

" … I might be."

Bowser raised his brow. "I thought you trusted him?" He asked.

"I do!" Robin argued, " … But I know you guys don't, and there are a lot of people amongst the higher-ups who don't either. They're afraid that he'll use the Dragoon for sinister purposes."

"That doesn't sound like Ganondorf _at all_." Zelda said flatly. Robin shot the princess a look, then continued.

"I'm still trying to figure out the best play for this, but I need you guys to be on the same page as me."

The door opened, and Lucina, Corrin and Severa quickly entered the room like they were late for a lecture. Robin pulled out some parchment and a pen.

"Let's get down to business, then."

* * *

 ** _First things first, thank you guys so much for all of your patience. I know it took a long time, but you readers are really the only reason I didn't give up on this story. This chapter was one of the hardest for me to write, and I hope it doesn't show._**

 _ **As always, I love any and all comments, critiques, or suggestions. I'll answer some questions and stuff next chapter, which I'm in the process of editing. I can't promise a timetable until I start getting in the groove again, but I hope you guys keep on reading!**_

 ** _Until next chapter!_**


	24. Connections

"Robin, you know I hold your opinion in high esteem."

"Yes, Metaknight?"

"I don't think I'm comprehending this plan. It seems idiotic."

The food on the table had been long removed, replaced by several old parchments and maps. Robin stood over his organized disaster, placing utensils on the maps in lieu of other markers.

"Alright, what don't you understand?"

Peach slammed her fist on the table. "Pretty much everything?!" She snapped out. "You think somebody's controlling people?"

"Not just anybody," Robin corrected, "Ganondorf or Zelda. Zelda's having nightmares, and the nightmares are sucking others in, right?"

"I can't control that." Zelda said defensively. Robin nodded.

"I know, and you've said yourself that something is interfering with the Triforce. So, what if somebody is trying to control somebody through the Triforce?"

Fox spoke up. "This all seems a bit farfetched. Why would we assume that?"

"I've had experience." Robin said grimly. "And if an outside force is controlling somebody in the mansion, they're going to put in the effort to make sure that they're in the final."

"To get the Dragoon." Metaknight confirmed. "But it's the steps after that -"

"Patience," Robin interrupted, "Let me explain. I recieved a device that sends out strong psychic waves that can interfere with the Triforce. Whoever wins, the device will be activated." He looked at Zelda. "Sorry, princess, I can't promise it won't be uncomfortable."

"As long as it can stop Ganondorf." came her curt reply.

"Erm …" Robin coughed nervously, "Well, hopefully we can smoke out the perpetrators, so to speak." He pointed to the maps. "And this is where Plan A comes in." He motioned to Fox. "Fox, I need you to get into contact with the Cornerian army. We need a mobile outrealm gate built, and I think they're the only ones who can build it."

"Yeah, you know that it's really unlikely that we could get that past the first vote, right?"

"It can't hurt to try." Robin replied. He continued. "Peach, Bowser. I need you two to visit Rosalina, see if you can't get her help."

"Why do I have to be stuck with him?" Peach protested.

Robin rolled his eyes. "You play golf and tennis with the man, you can survive a tea party. Zelda, I need you to keep tabs on your dreams. It's obviously leading us to something, and I think it's important to figure out if it's a warning or if you're being led there." Zelda nodded, pursing her lips. "Marth, you and Peach are senior smashers here, correct?"

"Yes, as well as Samus, I believe."

"I would like access to old smasher data files, is that possible?"

Samus cut in, "It should be in the archives, it would be worth a look." Robin nodded in response.

"Perfect, the more information we can get on old smashers, the better. Maybe somebody has a grudge."

Corrin raised her hand. "This is all well and good," she began, "But what if this doesn't work, and the Dragoon gets taken?" Robin's face darkened.

"That's where these maps come in." He responded. "Zelda, you recognize these maps, correct?"

Zelda looked at them closely. "Maps of Hyrule." She confirmed. "Why do you only have these?"

"The dream I had gave me a location, which was likely in Hyrule." Robin said, "I need to figure out where it is. If you or Ganondorf ends up under someone's control, they will likely attack Hyrule first."

"Or if Ganondorf is just being-" Robin shot Zelda a withering glare, causing her words to fade out.

"... As I was saying, we'll need to mobilize fast. Metaknight, are you fine with the Halberd being our base of operations?"

"That is it's purpose."

"Neat. Marth, if we need to mobilize, is it possible for you to get us an army?"

"I can make an earnest attempt, but I will not promise anything."

"Fair enough." Robin turned to Severa. "Severa."

"Yes, dad … father?"

"I'll need you or Lucina to get Chrom to mobilize the Shepherds. Can you do that?" Severa looked down at her feet.

"... I can." Lucina glanced at her friend, who was now fidgeting in her seat. Robin opened his mouth, but thought twice about it.

"Good. Fox, I'll leave it to you to try to get some ships together for us."

"Ike can probably gather his mercenaries together, and Cloud talks about his friends as well." Peach noted.

"We'll save that for if we need to." Robin replied. He pointed to the map. "As for the maps, if my assumptions are correct, then we need to find a suitable fortress to keep the other two Triforce holders safe." He pointed to his utensil laden maps.

"The castle has perfectly fine walls and defenses." Zelda insisted.

"Ah yes, the castle surrounded by flat plains and looks rather easy to siege." Robin said dryly. "The castle would be a perfectly fine place to station troops, but we need another place as our base of operations. He pointed to his butterknife, which pointed at a large mountain. "There's a small fort here. I believe that we could utilize that."

Zelda looked at the map in shock. "Snowpeak? Are you insane?"

Robin grinned. "Your reaction only confirms my choice. Troops that attempt to attack us will be demoralized and weakened, while our troops will remain fresh in the confines of the fortress."

Corrin raised her hand again. "Um... Mr. Robin," she began, "You haven't told me what I need to do."

Robin gave her a warm smile. "Lady Corrin, I admittedly do not know of your circumstances, but from what I can tell, you have a lot of things to take care of at home." Corrin nodded, her face stony. "You should resolve those problems, then you can come assist us."

"But that could take years." Corrin argued. Fox shrugged.

"Time doesn't flow normally from dimension to dimension," he explained, "The gates here can precisely control when and where you go, so I wouldn't worry too much about time."

Robin looked over the table. "I know this is a lot to ask of all of you. I hope things don't reach the point where you have to do all this." Silence crept over the table. Clearly, the meeting was over.

As the others left, Severa looked at Corrin, her face beginning to betray her emotions. She looked over at Lucina, who was now talking to that blond ponytail-wearing-something-something. She sighed irritably. _Selena? Really scraping the bottom of the barrel._ She thought.

* * *

Zelda disembarked from the monorail. The meeting had gone … as expected. Robin didn't leave much up for debate, but gave everybody clear orders to follow. Zelda gritted her teeth. The only infuriating thing was Robin's insistence that Ganondorf, despite everything, might still be a good guy. A _hero_ , even. Absurdity at it's finest. She felt a hand softly touch her shoulder. She looked to see Samus, face expressionless. The two had gotten on the monorail before the others, who wanted to spend a little time investigating the shops.

"You alright, Princess?"

Zelda shook her head. "I just don't get it. How can someone so intelligent be so dense?"

"Robin? He's just trying to make a smart play." Samus felt a finger poke her chest. Zelda was glaring up at her.

"Don't you defend him!" She snarled. "The smart play would've been to lose from round one! Now we're at the semi-finals, and even closer to disaster!"

Samus closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply. "First of all, watch where you're pointing." Zelda blushed intensely, shrinking her hand back gingerly. Samus sighed, smiling as she shook her head. "I don't doubt you for a second, but Robin seems to be the kind of person that wants control of as much as possible; and I understand that too."

"He has no trouble trusting some people." Zelda began to pout. "I've even made the effort, and I don't feel like he trusts me."

"You're not alone there, sister. I don't think he trusts either of us." Samus sighed. "But at least he's allowing us to do something."

"Oh joy, I get to write a dream journal."

"Robin didn't say this would be fun, he just said important."

As the duo reached the staircase, something caught Samus's eye. Danger signals starting wailing in her head. She immediately grabbed onto Zelda, dragging her into the shadows.

"What is i-"

Samus covered Zelda's mouth, nudging the princess with her leg. Samus shifted her body, peeking around the corner while keeping Zelda in the shadows. The silhouette she could see was unmistakable. Ganondorf was towering over someone. Well, someone might've been a stretch, it looked skeletal in nature. While she couldn't make out what was said, Ganondorf was clearly upset. Almost without warning, he grabbed the thin one, and slammed them against the wall, causing the whole room to shake slightly. Samus instinctively brought Zelda closer, tightening her grip on the princess.

It was silent for a short while, before a portal opened up, and another figure grabbed the thin one. As they walked through, there seemed to be a purplish glow that emanated from the second figure, surrounding Ganondorf. He fell to one knee, and Samus could hear him coughing. After another minute, he slowly got up, and began to drag himself towards the staircase. Samus closed her eyes, breathing softly. She could feel Zelda's sweat on her hand, and rubbed her shoulder comfortingly. She could hear the Gerudo push himself up the stairs, before walking to his room. The door slowly creaked open, and was closed with a slam. Samus waited for a few more seconds, before looking down at the princess. She felt blood rush to her face, as Zelda was nestled in her bosom. Samus immediately removed her hand from Zelda's mouth and helped her up. "I am so sorry..." Samus began, before she noticed Zelda's face. She had blank smile, one that only worsened Samus's blush. She quickly batted the back of Zelda's head, bringing her back to earth.

"Huh? I'm dreadfully sorry, I got lost in thought." She said, still smiling vacantly. Samus shook her head with a wry grin.

"Well, don't expect to get 'lost in thought' very often." Samus teased. Zelda pouted.

"It was enjoyable, though." She retorted, "What was that about, anyways?"

"I'm not sure, Ganondorf was having an argument with someone."

"Someone."

"It was dark, but I don't think it was anyone from here." Samus argued. "But they did something to him. They portaled in and out of the mansion."

"That's not possible, Sam."

"I know, but it's what happened." There was silence, before she spoke up again. "We need to tell somebody."

"You think this is what Robin was alluding to?"

Samus nodded. "It seems likely. We need to tell him. And start putting his plan into motion."

"Right now?" Zelda whined. Samus shot her a confused look, to which Zelda gave her an innocent smile. "I was thinking we could share our thoughts over some tea. After we notify Robin, of course."

Samus closed her eyes tightly. _This woman's gonna be the death of me._

* * *

"So you're planning on leaving?"

Lucina breathed in the chilly autumn air. The meeting had concluded, and after bidding the others farewell, had been approached by Severa. The suggestion was inaudible but clear, as the two began walking through the quieting city.

"Ugh, that sounds so callous when you say it like that." Severa grumbled, "Owain and Inigo want to go on an adventure, and you know what could happen to those two."

"And you volunteered to watch them?" Lucina had a smirk on her face. Severa's face turned three unique shades of red, which she attempted to hide within her scarf. "You don't have to give up your time for those two, they've been through worse." Severa mumbled in response, which caused Lucina to look at her friend. She was intentionally averting her eyes, gazing intently at the ground. "Severa, why are you going with them?"

Severa sighed, a frown plastered on her face. "Lucy, look at everybody. You and my dad are some sort of otherworldly gladiators now, Morgan's the new Shepherd's tactician, and most everybody else is strong, or satisfied with what they have." She walked up to a lamppost and leaned against it. "I wasn't strong enough to save my dad, and I could barely keep up with you. At the end of the day, I was just a big weight you had to carry."

"Sev-"

" **Do not interrupt me**." Severa's body was shaking. "I need to become stronger. Lucy, I must get stronger, so I can protect you from harm." Her breaths became more rattled by the second, "So that I can actually be something to you, something of worth, something-"

Severa felt a strike against her cheek. In shock, she looked up to see Lucina, tears rolling down her face.

Lucina struggled to speak. "... Never talk about yourself like that again!" She managed to shake out, before falling into Severa's arms. No words were uttered, as Severa and Lucina both cried openly. Finally, Lucina managed to speak up.

"Y-you're not useless, you never were." she said weakly, "I've told you hundreds of times, and I'll tell you again. I wouldn't be here without you." Lucina smiled through her tears. "I should be calling myself the dead weight, with all the times you carried me."

"... Lucy ..." Severa helped Lucina up. The princess wiped away her tears.

"I know better than to try to convince you to stay." Lucina said, warmth present in her words. "Naga knows I would be right there with you if I could." she looked at the ground sheepishly. "But you have to promise me that you will return safely, alright Sev?"

Severa blushed again. "I never intended not to, Lucy." she scoffed. "So I promise." Lucina still looked unconvinced, irking her friend. "What? Is my word not good enough?"

"Yes, but I know you. You like having an incentive to return." Lucina stated flatly. Her face beginning to turn red. Oh gods, she thought, This is just like last time. What if she- She shook away her doubts. With a smooth motion, she grabbed Severa's waist, and quickly brought her towards her.

The moment was over too quick for Lucina's taste, and when they separated, she felt a pang of fear. Severa was standing stiffly, much like before. Lucina quickly fumbled for excuses, not noticing Severa moving in. She felt her friend's hands grab her own. Lucina grimaced. Severa's hands were always so soft, unlike her calloused hands.

The two held hands for minutes, before finally finding the courage to look at each other. Severa broke the silence.

"That time, back before this whole thing started ..." she began, squeezing Lucina's hands. "You really meant that?" Lucina couldn't talk, her throat felt parched, and her face felt like a hearth, burning through whole forests of teenage hormones. She managed to nod and give out a weak confirmation. Her heart fluttered. Could this mean-

Severa quickly initiated the next kiss, fiercer than Lucina expected. There was something desperate behind it. She felt her friend grasp onto her tightly, as if something was trying to tear the two apart.

It was bliss.

After a few seconds, the two separated again. Severa, once again, had turned a peculiar shade of crimson, and Lucina was certain she looked quite similar. After a few more moments, Severa smiled at Lucina.

"I never knew how much I wanted that," she admitted, "Even when I knew that's what I wanted, I never knew, you know?" Lucina nodded, heart and head still aflutter. She felt another peck on her cheek, before Severa whispered into her ear.

"I promise I will return to you."

* * *

 ** _lol This one felt so long until I looked at the word count! It's nearly Christmas, and it felt right to get the ball rolling in two relationships in the story._**

 ** _Thank you all for reading and commenting, it really means a lot to me and keeps me going._**

 ** _The next chapter is being edited, but I felt like this one needed to get out there before the end of the week._**


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